PATTERNS OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION IN A LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT POPULATION

An investigative analysis was carried out of the neuromotor and cognit ive findings in a population-based study of low-birthweight infants (< 1750g) at 4 1/2 years of age to try to improve the understanding of t he neuropathological basis of their deficits. Cluster analysis identif ied groups of children whose performance in the cognitive subscales of the British Ability Scales followed similar patterns, and also differ entiated between children in neuromotor competence. Cluster membership correlated highly with language attainment, ability to copy shapes, b ehaviour as reported by parents, and parents' and examiners' perceptio n of attention span. Children in poorer-performing clusters were more likely to be born to mothers who had had a previous perinatal death, a nd were also more likely to have experienced septicaemia during the ne onatal period. These findings are discussed in the light of evidence f rom the neuropathological and physiological literature.