Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33469182›Full record

ArticlePediatric research2021

Cerebellar volumes and language functions in school-aged children born very preterm.

Lottie W Stipdonk, Marlijne Boumeester, Kay J Pieterman, Marie-Christine J P Franken, Joost van Rosmalen, Irwin K Reiss, Jeroen Dudink

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Early parenteral lipid intake supports cerebellar neurometabolism at term-age in preterm infants.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2025
    Observational
  3. Cerebellar Development and the Burden of Prematurity.Cerebellum (London, England) · 2025
    Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Lottie W StipdonkDepartment of Rhinolaryngaology at Erasmus Medical University Centre-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands. l.stipdonk@erasmusmc.nl.
Marlijne BoumeesterDivision of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics at UMCU-Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Kay J PietermanDepartment of Radiology at Erasmus Medical University Centre-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Marie-Christine J P FrankenDepartment of Rhinolaryngaology at Erasmus Medical University Centre-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Joost van RosmalenDepartment of Biostatistics at Erasmus Medical University Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Irwin K ReissDivision of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics at Erasmus Medical University Centre-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Jeroen DudinkDivision of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics at UMCU-Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Erasmus MC - Sophia Children’s Hospital · NLWilhelmina Children's Hospital · NLErasmus University Rotterdam · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVolumes of cerebellar posterior lobes have been associated with cognitive skills, such as language functioning. Children born very preterm (VPT) often have language problems. However, only total cerebellar volume has been associated with language functioning, with contradicting results. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether total cerebellar structures or specific posterior lobular structures are associated with language ability of school-aged VPT children.

methodsThis is a prospective cohort study of 42 school-aged VPT children without major handicaps. Structural MRI was performed and the cerebellum segmentation pipeline was used for segmentation of separate lobules. Narrative retelling assessment was performed and language content and language structure scores were extracted. Linear regression analyses were used to associate language scores with whole gray matter (GM) cerebellar volume and right Crus I+II GM volume.

resultsWhole cerebellar GM volume was not significantly associated with language content nor with language structure; however, right Crus I+II GM volume was significantly associated with language content (β = 0.192 (CI = 0.033, 0.351), p = 0.020).

conclusionsGM volume of Crus I+II appears to be associated with language functions in school-aged VPT children without major handicaps, while whole cerebellar volume is not. This study showed the importance of studying cerebellar lobules separately, rather than whole cerebellar volume only, in relation to VPT children's language functions. IMPACT: GM volume of Crus I+II is associated with semantic language functions in school-aged very preterm children without overt brain injury, whereas whole cerebellar volume is not. This study showed the importance of studying cerebellar lobules separately, rather than whole cerebellar volume only, in relation to very preterm children's language functions. This study might impact future research in very preterm children. Lobular structures rather than whole cerebellar structures should be the region of interest in relation to language functions.

Indexed as

Infant, Extremely PrematureLanguage DevelopmentCerebellumChildCognitionFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornMaleSchools

Identifiers

PMID33469182
OpenAlexW3125599815

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.