Pediatrics reports on recent research comparing 12 year old children with a birth history of prematurity (without neonatal brain injury) versus full term infants.   The 29 children studied with prematurity had significantly different scores with regards to full scale, verbal and performance IQ and Developmental Visual Motor Integration.  In addition, imaging studies showed decreased fiber tract organization in the 12 year old brains of the preterm group.   

Reference:  Constable, R. Todd, Ment, Laura R., Vohr, Betty R., Kesler, Shelli R., Fulbright, Robert K., Lacadie, Cheryl, Delancy, Susan, Katz, Karol H., Schneider, Karen C., Schafer, Robin J., Makuch, Robert W., Reiss, Allan R. Prematurely Born Children Demonstrate White Matter Microstructural Differences at 12 Years of Age, Relative to Term Control Subjects: An Investigation of Group and Gender Effects Pediatrics 2008 121: 306-316.

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