Date of Award
5-10-2026
Date Published
June 2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Psychology
Advisor(s)
Natalie Russo
Keywords
autism;ERP;IQ;MMN;preterm
Subject Categories
Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
Premature birth is a leading factor contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and cognitive disabilities. Early detection measures can help children access services earlier, even before behavioral traits manifest. Event-related potentials (ERPs), measured though electroencephalography (EEG), are objective and non-invasive methods to study brain activity in children born preterm. The mismatch negativity (MMN), measured by the difference in neural response to alternating frequent and rare stimuli, has been associated with cognitive abilities in preterm children, but its relation to autistic traits remains underexplored. The present study examined whether speech evoked MMN amplitude and latency in children born preterm between 5 and 6 years of age predicts cognitive abilities and autistic traits. Twenty-one school-aged children born preterm completed a passive auditory oddball paradigm with alternating standard /da/ (80%) and deviant /ba/ (20%) syllables. Caregivers completed the Social Communication Questionnaire, Current version (SCQ-C) to measure autistic traits, and the Stanford-Binet, Fifth Edition was administered to assess cognitive abilities. Results indicated that MMN mean amplitude significantly predicted cognitive abilities and marginally predicted autistic traits, whereas MMN fractional area latency was not a significant predictor of either. The relationship between cognitive abilities and autistic traits was also explored, indicating no significant correlations between SCQ-C total scores and FSIQ or NVIQ. These results, which warrant replication, identify MMN amplitude as a potential neural marker that differentiates cognitive and behavioral outcomes among children born preterm, offering insight into early neural mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental differences. Long-term, this work may inform early identification and intervention strategies for children born preterm who are at elevated risk for cognitive delays or neurodevelopmental disorders.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
León Lúa, Aidee, "MISMATCH NEGATIVITY (MMN) AND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES IN CHILDREN BORN PRETERM" (2026). Theses - ALL. 1000.
https://surface.syr.edu/thesis/1000
