Clinical Research Directory

Cerebral Abnormalities Detected by MRI, Realized at the Age of Term and the Emergence of Executive Functions

The survival of premature babies increased during the last decades. However, the neurocognitive long term development of these children is worrying, as demonstrated by EPIPAGE 1 study. These children present high risk of deficits such as cognitive deficits, adaptive malfunction, behavior disorders and difficulties in school learning. Understanding the specific neuropsychological disorders at the origin of these deficits is an important objective. Studies realized at school age showed that many premature children have executive functions (EF) disorders. However the specific nature of these disorders and the neuropathology associated are unknown. The aim of this study is to realise MRI at term age in preterm babies born less than 32 GA and to correlate MRI findings with executives functions and neurodevelopmental outcome