Executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term: a prospective cohort study
Abstract There are mixed findings regarding executive functioning in individuals born small for gestational age (SGA) at term and associations between performance-based and self-reported executive functions have yet to be examined in adults. In a prospective cohort study, 56 SGA and 68 non-SGA contr...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86241-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832571802910457856 |
|---|---|
| author | Mariell Nordgård Martine Reitan Udnæs Kristina Anna Djupvik Aakvik Silje Dahl Benum Sigrid Hegna Ingvaldsen Siri Weider Kari Anne I. Evensen |
| author_facet | Mariell Nordgård Martine Reitan Udnæs Kristina Anna Djupvik Aakvik Silje Dahl Benum Sigrid Hegna Ingvaldsen Siri Weider Kari Anne I. Evensen |
| author_sort | Mariell Nordgård |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract There are mixed findings regarding executive functioning in individuals born small for gestational age (SGA) at term and associations between performance-based and self-reported executive functions have yet to be examined in adults. In a prospective cohort study, 56 SGA and 68 non-SGA control participants were assessed at 32 years using the performance-based Trail Making Test (TMT) and the self-report questionnaire Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Adult Version (BRIEF-A). The SGA group used 1.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1–3.1) to 3.9 (95% CI 1.2–6.5) seconds more on TMT conditions 1 and 3, indicating more difficulties with visual scanning and letter sequencing than controls. On BRIEF-A, the SGA group scored 1.5 (95% CI 0.2–2.8) points lower on the clinical scale Emotional Control. Correlation coefficients for the association between TMT and BRIEF-A scores ranged from -0.295 (p = 0.065) to 0.345 (p = 0.029) in the SGA group. In conclusion, we found that 32-year-old adults born SGA at term showed poorer performance on some executive function tasks than controls. However, they reported similar executive functioning in everyday life, except for emotional control. The associations between performance-based and self-report assessments of executive functions were weak. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8cad48bcd77a4ea9860fee349ee5c902 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-8cad48bcd77a4ea9860fee349ee5c9022025-02-02T12:18:47ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-86241-2Executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term: a prospective cohort studyMariell Nordgård0Martine Reitan Udnæs1Kristina Anna Djupvik Aakvik2Silje Dahl Benum3Sigrid Hegna Ingvaldsen4Siri Weider5Kari Anne I. Evensen6Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyAbstract There are mixed findings regarding executive functioning in individuals born small for gestational age (SGA) at term and associations between performance-based and self-reported executive functions have yet to be examined in adults. In a prospective cohort study, 56 SGA and 68 non-SGA control participants were assessed at 32 years using the performance-based Trail Making Test (TMT) and the self-report questionnaire Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Adult Version (BRIEF-A). The SGA group used 1.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1–3.1) to 3.9 (95% CI 1.2–6.5) seconds more on TMT conditions 1 and 3, indicating more difficulties with visual scanning and letter sequencing than controls. On BRIEF-A, the SGA group scored 1.5 (95% CI 0.2–2.8) points lower on the clinical scale Emotional Control. Correlation coefficients for the association between TMT and BRIEF-A scores ranged from -0.295 (p = 0.065) to 0.345 (p = 0.029) in the SGA group. In conclusion, we found that 32-year-old adults born SGA at term showed poorer performance on some executive function tasks than controls. However, they reported similar executive functioning in everyday life, except for emotional control. The associations between performance-based and self-report assessments of executive functions were weak.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86241-2 |
| spellingShingle | Mariell Nordgård Martine Reitan Udnæs Kristina Anna Djupvik Aakvik Silje Dahl Benum Sigrid Hegna Ingvaldsen Siri Weider Kari Anne I. Evensen Executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term: a prospective cohort study Scientific Reports |
| title | Executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term: a prospective cohort study |
| title_full | Executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term: a prospective cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term: a prospective cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term: a prospective cohort study |
| title_short | Executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term: a prospective cohort study |
| title_sort | executive functions in adults born small for gestational age at term a prospective cohort study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86241-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariellnordgard executivefunctionsinadultsbornsmallforgestationalageattermaprospectivecohortstudy AT martinereitanudnæs executivefunctionsinadultsbornsmallforgestationalageattermaprospectivecohortstudy AT kristinaannadjupvikaakvik executivefunctionsinadultsbornsmallforgestationalageattermaprospectivecohortstudy AT siljedahlbenum executivefunctionsinadultsbornsmallforgestationalageattermaprospectivecohortstudy AT sigridhegnaingvaldsen executivefunctionsinadultsbornsmallforgestationalageattermaprospectivecohortstudy AT siriweider executivefunctionsinadultsbornsmallforgestationalageattermaprospectivecohortstudy AT karianneievensen executivefunctionsinadultsbornsmallforgestationalageattermaprospectivecohortstudy |