Relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in Brazilian preterm infants: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Preterm infants have an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delays, with consequences that may persist in later life. Thus, monitoring their development is needed for early detection and targeted intervention. This study aimed to assess the correlation between neurological funct...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pediatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05942-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849735906016100352 |
|---|---|
| author | Wendy Gabrielle Franca de Sousa Ana Luiza Righetto Greco Maja de Medeiros Alicia Jane Spittle Cibelle Kayenne Roberto Formiga |
| author_facet | Wendy Gabrielle Franca de Sousa Ana Luiza Righetto Greco Maja de Medeiros Alicia Jane Spittle Cibelle Kayenne Roberto Formiga |
| author_sort | Wendy Gabrielle Franca de Sousa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Preterm infants have an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delays, with consequences that may persist in later life. Thus, monitoring their development is needed for early detection and targeted intervention. This study aimed to assess the correlation between neurological function and motor skills in preterm infants from 2 to 6 months of corrected age after hospital discharge in an outpatient follow-up program. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 50 preterm infants with a mean gestational age of 32.0 (± 2.8) weeks and a mean birth weight of 1645.2 (± 576.5) grams. Neurological function and motor development were assessed once between two to six months of corrected age by using the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) and Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), respectively. Data on pregnancy, type of delivery, and birth were obtained using interviews with family and medical records. The Spearman correlation coefficient assessed the association between HINE and AIMS scores. Results A significant correlation was found between HINE categories and AIMS subscales: cranial nerve function versus prone (r = 0.55; p < 0.001); posture versus prone (r = 0.69; p < 0.001); posture versus sitting (r = 0.67; p < 0.001); posture versus standing (r = 0.63; p < 0.001); tone versus sitting (r = 0.51; p < 0.001); tone versus standing (r = 0.49; p < 0.001); and total HINE versus total AIMS (r = 0.77; p < 0.001). Conclusions The present study found strong correlation between neurological function and motor skills in preterm infants during the first months of life. Whilst the HINE and AIMS can complete each other, where there are limited resources the HINE may be appropriate to administer as a single assessment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b5a96bb41f1e4a7cb0a40a89f7bc07b5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2431 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-b5a96bb41f1e4a7cb0a40a89f7bc07b52025-08-20T03:07:25ZengBMCBMC Pediatrics1471-24312025-08-012511810.1186/s12887-025-05942-9Relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in Brazilian preterm infants: a cross-sectional studyWendy Gabrielle Franca de Sousa0Ana Luiza Righetto Greco1Maja de Medeiros2Alicia Jane Spittle3Cibelle Kayenne Roberto Formiga4Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Estadual de GoiásDepartment of Physical Therapy, Universidade Estadual de GoiásClinics Hospital, Universidade Federal de GoiásDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences, University of MelbourneDepartment of Physical Therapy, Universidade Estadual de GoiásAbstract Background Preterm infants have an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delays, with consequences that may persist in later life. Thus, monitoring their development is needed for early detection and targeted intervention. This study aimed to assess the correlation between neurological function and motor skills in preterm infants from 2 to 6 months of corrected age after hospital discharge in an outpatient follow-up program. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 50 preterm infants with a mean gestational age of 32.0 (± 2.8) weeks and a mean birth weight of 1645.2 (± 576.5) grams. Neurological function and motor development were assessed once between two to six months of corrected age by using the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) and Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), respectively. Data on pregnancy, type of delivery, and birth were obtained using interviews with family and medical records. The Spearman correlation coefficient assessed the association between HINE and AIMS scores. Results A significant correlation was found between HINE categories and AIMS subscales: cranial nerve function versus prone (r = 0.55; p < 0.001); posture versus prone (r = 0.69; p < 0.001); posture versus sitting (r = 0.67; p < 0.001); posture versus standing (r = 0.63; p < 0.001); tone versus sitting (r = 0.51; p < 0.001); tone versus standing (r = 0.49; p < 0.001); and total HINE versus total AIMS (r = 0.77; p < 0.001). Conclusions The present study found strong correlation between neurological function and motor skills in preterm infants during the first months of life. Whilst the HINE and AIMS can complete each other, where there are limited resources the HINE may be appropriate to administer as a single assessment.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05942-9Neurodevelopmental disorderNeurological assessmentMotor skillsPrematurityPreterm infant |
| spellingShingle | Wendy Gabrielle Franca de Sousa Ana Luiza Righetto Greco Maja de Medeiros Alicia Jane Spittle Cibelle Kayenne Roberto Formiga Relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in Brazilian preterm infants: a cross-sectional study BMC Pediatrics Neurodevelopmental disorder Neurological assessment Motor skills Prematurity Preterm infant |
| title | Relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in Brazilian preterm infants: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in Brazilian preterm infants: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in Brazilian preterm infants: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in Brazilian preterm infants: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in Brazilian preterm infants: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | relationship between early neurological function and motor skills in brazilian preterm infants a cross sectional study |
| topic | Neurodevelopmental disorder Neurological assessment Motor skills Prematurity Preterm infant |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05942-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wendygabriellefrancadesousa relationshipbetweenearlyneurologicalfunctionandmotorskillsinbrazilianpreterminfantsacrosssectionalstudy AT analuizarighettogreco relationshipbetweenearlyneurologicalfunctionandmotorskillsinbrazilianpreterminfantsacrosssectionalstudy AT majademedeiros relationshipbetweenearlyneurologicalfunctionandmotorskillsinbrazilianpreterminfantsacrosssectionalstudy AT aliciajanespittle relationshipbetweenearlyneurologicalfunctionandmotorskillsinbrazilianpreterminfantsacrosssectionalstudy AT cibellekayennerobertoformiga relationshipbetweenearlyneurologicalfunctionandmotorskillsinbrazilianpreterminfantsacrosssectionalstudy |