Work

Effects of Caffeine Treatment for Apnea of Prematurity on Cortical Speech-Sound Differentiation in Preterm Infants

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Caffeine, standard treatment for apnea of prematurity, improves brainstem auditory processing. We hypothesized that caffeine also improves cortical differentiation of complex speech sounds. We used event-related potential methodology to measure responses to speech-sound contrasts in 45 intensive care neonates, stratified by cumulative exposure as no-, low-, and high-caffeine groups. Sound differentiation in the low-caffeine group and near-term no-caffeine infants was similar with repeated measures analysis of variance controlling for gestational and postnatal age. However, a generalized estimating equation approach demonstrated that, at equivalent postnatal age, differentiation was reduced in the high-caffeine (gestational age 25 weeks) compared to the low-caffeine group (gestational age 28 weeks), reflecting the importance of maturity at birth (Z = 2.77, P < .006). We conclude that caffeine improves measures of auditory processing associated with improved neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. However, current usage of caffeine for apnea of prematurity cannot fully compensate for the effects of brain immaturity on speech sound processing.

Source: Journal of Child Neurology

DOI: 10.1177/0883073814538500

Authors: Nathalie L. Maitre, Jeremy Chan, Ann R. Stark, Warren E. Lambert, Judy L. Aschner, Alexandra P. Key

Institutions: Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Infant Development and Preterm Care

Subfield: Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green