Little is known by clinicians about whether growth hormone (GH) has an effect on brain development, especially in extremely preterm infants (VP, <30 weeks). Some physicians believe that GH levels in preterm infants are higher on the first day of life than in full-term infants, and that VP preterm infants develop cognitive deficits in childhood and have diffuse structural brain abnormalities. ScratchSE et al. of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute at the Royal Children's Hospital in Victoria, Australia, conducted a study to examine GH levels in VP preterm infants after birth and the relationship between that level and cognitive function and brain volume at age 7 years. Eighty-three VP preterm infants were included in the study, and GH levels were measured at eight postnatal time points and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated at 2 and 6 weeks. Neuroendocrinological assessment and brain MRI were performed at 7 years of age. Univariate and multivariate regression models were used to analyze whether GHAUC could be used as a primary predictor of neurodevelopment in the brain at age 7 years. Results showed that in univariate model analysis, elevated GH levels (2-week AUC) were associated with reduced word working memory (p=0.04) and shifted attentional tasks (p=0.01). Multivariate model analyses showed the same results. Decreases in working memory (P=0.03), immediate spatial memory (P=0.02), and delayed spatial memory (P=0.03) were found after analysis of the 6-week AUC. After correction for potential confounders, elevated GH levels were found to be associated with increased amygdala volume (P=0.002, 2-week AUC; P=0.03, 6-week AUC). The study suggests that elevated postnatal GH levels in VP preterm infants may have a potential correlation with neurodevelopmental brain impairment at school age.