Lay summary
Children born very preterm (<32 weeks gestation) are at a high risk of cerebral palsy, cognitive delay, learning difficulties, ADHD, emotional problems and poor school achievement. This study will examine the functional and anatomical abnormalities that relate to these challenges using longitudinal data from a regional cohort of 110 children born very preterm and 113 full term children. Previous work from our cohort has demonstrated abnormalities within the developing white matter (cabling networks) of the brain after birth that relate to early infant outcomes. This next phase will examine the effects of such abnormalities on later brain development and function at age 12 years, using both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurodevelopmental evaluation. Of particular interest is the compensatory change or repair in the developing brain that allow good function despite injury. Findings will define the neural correlates of functional impairment and mechanisms of neural recovery in preterm children.