Abstract：
The ability to orient attention to one\'s environment is a prerequisite for developing executive functions (EF) from preschool age. Very preterm children are vulnerable for delays in visual orienting function (VOF) and EF deficits. This study aimed to investigate associations between objective VOF and subjective parent-reported EF in very preterm-born children at 3 years corrected age (CA). In a prospective cohort study (BOND) involving 90 children born < 30 weeks, VOF and EF were assessed using an eye tracking-based method and BRIEF-P questionnaire. Associations between abnormal VOF (viewing reaction times) and EF scores (BRIEF-P scores) were studied using multivariable regression. Using a modified Delphi method, a subset of eight items related to VOF and EF was explored. Abnormal VOF was observed in 31% of the children and abnormal global EF composite scores in 41%. Abnormal VOF was not associated with global or domain-level EF scores. However, children with abnormal VOF more frequently had EF problems related to attentional behavior: \"easily sidetracked\" (OR 4.18 (CI: 1.21-14.41), p = 0.02) and \"short attention span\" (OR 4.52 (CI: 1.34-15.22), p = 0.02). Conclusion: Although abnormal VOF was not associated with global, parent-reported, EF at 3 years CA, secondary analyses did show a relation to specific attention and concentration span items. Further research is needed to study the role of VOF in objectifying preschool EF assessments in very preterm born children. What is known: • Very preterm children are vulnerable for executive function (EF) deficits and for delays in visual orienting function, as compared to term-born children • The ability to orient attention to one\'s visual environment is an important prerequisite for EF early in life and is easy to measure objectively with visual orienting function (VOF) assessment What is new: • VOF measurement at 3 years of age relates to parent-reported attention and concentration span items, important aspects of executive functions • Future work should explore the clinical additional value of early VOF measurement in children at risk for EF deficits.
摘要：
将注意力集中在环境中的能力是从学龄前开始发展执行功能（EF）的先决条件。非常早产的儿童容易受到视觉定向功能（VOF）和EF缺陷的延迟的影响。这项研究旨在调查3岁矫正年龄（CA）的早产儿童的客观VOF与父母报告的主观EF之间的关联。在一项涉及90名出生<30周的儿童的前瞻性队列研究(BOND)中，使用基于眼动追踪的方法和BRIEF-P问卷评估VOF和EF。使用多变量回归研究了异常VOF（查看反应时间）与EF评分（BRIEF-P评分）之间的关联。使用改进的Delphi方法，研究了与VOF和EF相关的8个项目的子集.在31％的儿童中观察到异常的VOF，在41％的总体EF综合评分中观察到异常。异常的VOF与全局或域级别的EF评分无关。然而,患有异常VOF的儿童更频繁地出现与注意行为相关的EF问题：“容易偏离”（或4.18（CI：1.21-14.41），p=0.02)和“注意力持续时间短”(或4.52(CI：1.34-15.22)，p=0.02)。结论：尽管异常VOF与全局性无关，家长报告，EF在3年CA，二次分析确实显示了与特定注意力和注意力跨度项目的关系。需要进一步的研究来研究VOF在非常早产儿的学龄前EF评估中的作用。已知情况：•非常早产的儿童容易受到执行功能（EF）缺陷和视觉定向功能延迟的影响，与足月出生的儿童相比•将注意力定向到视觉环境的能力是早期EF的重要先决条件，并且易于通过视觉定向功能（VOF）评估客观地测量。新功能：•3岁时的VOF测量与父母报告的注意力和注意力范围有关，执行功能的重要方面•未来的工作应探索早期VOF测量在有EF缺陷风险的儿童中的临床附加价值。
