Speech and Oromotor Outcome in Adolescents Born Preterm: Relationship to Motor Tract Integrity

Northam, Gemma B.
Liégeois, Frédérique
Chong, Wui K.
Baker, Kate
Tournier, Jacques-Donald
Wyatt, John S.
Baldeweg, Torsten
Morgan, Angela

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Publication date

March 2012

DOI

10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.08.055

Publisher

Mosby, Inc.

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess speech abilities in adolescents born preterm and investigate whether there is an association between specific speech deficits and brain abnormalities.Study designFifty adolescents born prematurely (<33 weeks’ gestation) with a spectrum of brain injuries were recruited (mean age, 16 years). Speech examination included tests of speech-sound processing and production and speech and oromotor control. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging was acquired in all adolescents born preterm and 30 term-born control subjects. Radiological ratings of brain injury were recorded and the integrity of the primary motor projections was measured (corticospinal tract and speech-motor corticobulbar tract [CST/CB...