Associations Between Hormonal Biomarkers and Cognitive, Motor, and Language Developmental Status in Very Low Birth Weight Infants.
June Cho, Diane Holditch-Davis, Xiaogang Su and 3 others
PMID 28661908WHAT IT FOUND
Higher salivary cortisol was linked to lower motor scores at 6 months in very low birth weight infants.
Testosterone was not linked to development overall. A boy subgroup showed higher testosterone with better language, but this was not the main finding.
Key findings
01Salivary testosterone was not associated with cognitive, motor, or language scores after adjustment.
02Salivary cortisol was negatively associated with motor developmental status after adjustment.
03In boys, salivary testosterone was positively associated with language scores after adjustment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was observational, so it cannot show that hormones caused developmental differences. The sample was 62 dyads, and boys and girls were analyzed separately. Development was assessed at 6 months corrected age, and the authors say language cannot be fully assessed at that age. Prenatal corticosteroid treatment was given routinely, but dose and timing were unknown. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III may produce higher scores than older Bayley versions. Mothers reported infant health problems, and interactions were observed in a research office, which could affect behaviour.
Declared interests
The supplied metadata indicates N.I.H., Extramural research support. The supplied article text does not include a conflict-of-interest declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that salivary hormones caused developmental differences or that hormone testing should guide infant assessment. The study was observational, testosterone was not associated with development overall, and the boy language result was a subgroup finding. Language also cannot be fully assessed at 6 months.