Background: Late preterm infants (LPIs) are at risk of neurodevelopmental delay. Research on their cognitive development is helpful for early intervention and follow-up. Methods: Event-related potential (ERP) and resting electroencephalography (RS-EEG) were used to study the brain cognitive function of LPIs in the early stage of life. The Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS) was used to track the neurodevelopmental status at the age of 1 year after correction, and to explore the neurophysiological indicators that could predict the outcome of cognitive development in the early stage. Results: The results showed that mismatch response (MMR) amplitude, RS-EEG power spectrum and functional connectivity all suggested that LPIs were lagging behind. At the age of 1 year after correction, high-risk LPIs showed no significant delay in gross motor function, but lagged behind in fine motor function, language, personal social interaction and adaptability. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the predictive role of MMR amplitude in the brain cognitive development prognosis at 1 year, showing a sensitivity of 80.00% and a specificity of 90.57%. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.788, with a P-value of 0.007. Conclusions: Based on our findings we supposed that the cognitive function of LPI lags behind that of full-term infants in early life. Preterm birth and perinatal diseases or high risk factors affected brain cognitive function in LPIs. MMR amplitude can be used as an early predictor of brain cognitive development in LPIs. Trial registration: This clinical trial is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR). Trial registration number: ChiCTR2100041929. Date of registration: 2021-01-10. URL of the trial registry record: https://www.chictr.org.cn/.

The present study was performed to investigate neonatal auditory perception function by quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) and auditory event-related potentials (aERPs) and identify the characteristics of auditory perception development in newborns. Fifty-three normal full-term neonates were divided into three groups according their age in days. An auditory oddball paradigm was used. QEEG (resting state and task state) and aERPs were performed. EEG δ power in the resting and task states and at different ages was respectively analyzed. The N2 area and latency of aERPs at different ages were also compared. The four main findings of this study are as follows. First, the increase in the EEG δ power was significantly greater in the task than resting state in Group 3 at the Fz lead (t = −3.371, P = 0.004) and in Groups 2 and 3 at the Cz lead (Group 2: t = −3.149, P = 0.005; Group 3: t = −3.609, P = 0.002). Second, the δ power gradually increased from 1 to 10 days of age (Group 1), peaked at 11 to 20 days (Group 2), and gradually decreased from 21 to 28 days (Group 3). The data in the Fz lead during the task state and in the Cz lead during the resting and task states were statistically significant (F = 5.875, P = 0.005; F = 5.523, P = 0.007; and F = 5.402, P = 0.008, respectively). Third, the N2 area significantly increased with age by presentation of target stimuli (F = 5.26, P = 0.01). The N2 area increased most significantly from 21 to 28 days (Group 3). Finally, the N2 latency significantly decreased with age (Fz lead: F = 4.66, P = 0.023; Cz lead: F = 7.18, P = 0.005). The N2 latency decreased most significantly from 11 to 20 days of age (Group 2). Rapid cognitive development occurs during the neonatal period. In the first several days after birth, the EEG δ power and N2 area manifested the characteristic performance of identifying task information. QEEG and aERP measurement can be used as objective indices with which to evaluate auditory perception development in neonates.

Objective Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) includes three subtypes: inattentive type (ADHD-I), hyperactive/impulsive type (ADHD-HI), and combined type (ADHD-C). Diagnosis mainly relies on subjective behavioral rating scales, lacking objective biomarkers. Electroencephalography (EEG) and serum neurotrophic factors—brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and neurotrophin-3 (NTF3)—may aid subtype differentiation. This study evaluates their combined diagnostic value in children with ADHD.Methods A retrospective cohort of 322 children aged 6–12 years diagnosed with ADHD based on DSM-5 criteria was analyzed. EEG recordings were processed using Fast Fourier Transform to extract frequency band powers and P300 wave features. Serum levels of BDNF, NGF, GDNF, and NTF3 were measured via ELISA. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate regression, and ROC curve analyses were performed to assess diagnostic performance.Results ADHD-I patients exhibited elevated frontal θ power, higher θ/β ratios, prolonged P300 latency, and reduced P300 amplitude. ADHD-HI patients demonstrated increased β power in parietal regions and elevated NGF and NTF3 levels. Multivariate analysis identified θ power, θ/β ratio, NGF, NTF3, and P300 amplitude area as independent predictors for subtype differentiation. Combined EEG and serum markers yielded an area under the curve (AUC) (0.90) in distinguishing ADHD-I from ADHD-HI.Conclusion The integration of EEG features and neurotrophic factor profiles offers high diagnostic accuracy in differentiating ADHDI from ADHD-HI and moderate accuracy for the other subtype comparisons. These findings support the development of objective biomarker- based diagnostic tools for precision psychiatry in ADHD.

To study the short-term effects of a single-dose chloral hydrate on neonatal auditory perception by measuring auditory event-related potentials (aERPs). Thirty-nine full-term neonates, aged 2–28 days and weighing 2980–4350 g, were divided into two groups including a chloral hydrate group (CH group, n = 17) and a non-chloral hydrate control group (non-CH group, n = 22). The CH group was given single-dose chloral hydrate (30 mg/kg) orally before aERPs measurement. An auditory oddball paradigm was used to elicit aERPs. P2 and N2 components of the ERP were recorded from electrodes at the Fz and Cz locations, and the areas under their curves (P2 and N2 areas) were calculated for the comparison between two groups. Significant differences was found in the P2 area between the two groups at Fz and Cz (Fz: F (1,37) = 487.75, P < 0.05; Cz: F (1,37) = 1465.94, P < 0.05). Similarly, significant difference was also in the N2 area between the two groups at both locations (Fz: F(1,37) = 153.38, P < 0.05; Cz: F(1,37) = 798.42, P < 0.05). A single-dose of chloral hydrate impacts neonatal auditory perception in the short-term. Long-term effects will also be studied in future.