Reference
Kipp, K. H., Mecklinger, A., Brunnemann, N., Shamdeen, M. G., Meng-Hentschel, J., & Gortner, L. (2015). Modifications of Recognition Memory Processes in Preterm Children: An Event-Related Potential Study. Child Development, 86(2), 379-393. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12323
Review
In their 2015 study, Kipp et al. delved into the nuances of recognition memory processes in children born preterm. Their research was premised on the understanding that prematurity might lead to hippocampal vulnerabilities, which in turn could influence specific memory processes.
The authors utilized an item recognition task to test the memory of 18 children born preterm, ensuring these subjects had reduced hippocampal volumes but no neonatal complications. The control group comprised 15 children of regular birth status. Interestingly, while the overall memory performance didn't differ significantly between the two groups, there were marked differences in their memory processes. The study unearthed that while familiarity-based retrieval (hippocampus-independent) remained unscathed in preterm children, their recollection-based retrieval (hippocampus-dependent) was discernibly weakened. This finding was further bolstered by the discovery that the event-related potential (ERP) associated with recollection was diminished in the preterm group, with gestational age influencing this ERP index. It's noteworthy that the team conducted a follow-up experiment, ensuring these differences weren't rooted in general cognitive deficits.
Kipp et al.'s research underscores a potential compensation mechanism within preterm children's cognitive framework—wherein a compromised recollection process is seemingly balanced by an intact familiarity process. Such insights are pivotal for educators, healthcare professionals, and parents in understanding and addressing the unique cognitive challenges preterm children might face.
