Extracerebellar infarcts causing dysarthria were located in all patients along the course of the pyramidal tract. This finding correlates with the frequent occurrence of associated pyramidal tract signs in 90.7% (n = 62) of patients. Isolated cerebellar infarcts leading to dysarthria were in all cases located in the territory of the superior cerebellar artery.

The results of this study demonstrate that articulatory movements of the tongue and orofacial muscles are involved in the activation of the rostral paravermal area of the anterior lobe. This location corresponds to the area involved in cerebellar ischemia in patients with dysarthria. Lesions in the upper paravermal area of the right cerebellar hemisphere, the site of coordination of articulatory movements of the tongue and orofacial muscles, may lead to the development of dysarthria that is unrelated to (often concomitant) brainstem infarctions.

Background/Aims: Specific language impairment (SLI) is believed to be associated with nonverbal auditory (NVA) deficits. It remains unclear, however, whether children with SLI show deficits in auditory time processing, time processing in general, frequency discrimination (FD), or NVA processing in general. Patients and Methods: Twenty-seven children (aged 8–11) with SLI and 27 control children (CG), matched for age and gender, were retrospectively compared with regard to their performance on five NVA skills in terms of just noticeable differences (JND) and time order judgments (TOJ). JND was used for FD, intensity discrimination, and gap detection, while TOJ was used for FD and clicks. Results: Children with SLI performed significantly worse than the CG only on the FD tasks (JND and TOJ). The other nonverbal tasks showed no significant intergroup differences. Additionally, moderate associations were found between the FD tasks and phonological skills, as well as between FD tasks and language scores. Conclusion: Children with SLI appear to have restricted FD skills compared to controls, but there was no evidence for a common NVA deficit or reduced temporal auditory abilities.

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NHB) above 20 mg/dl (NHB20) has been shown to increase the risk of hearing impairments. Up to now, audiological findings based on behavioural audiometry (BA), otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and auditory brainstem responses (ABR) from children after being diagnosed with NHB20 have not been thoroughly compared to those with lower NHB-levels. We, therefore, aimed to assess the presence and characteristics of auditory dysfunction in children with NHB20. The audiological data of 15 children aged 11 months to 9 years with a NHB level between 22.6 and 45.6 mg/dl and/or MRI-confirmed bilirubin encephalopathy (NHBG) were compared retrospectively to 15 children with NHB levels between 12.5 and 19.4 mg/dl (CG). After matching by weeks of gestation at birth, BA, TEOAE and ABR were performed in all the children. Subsequently the groups were compared. Only two children of the NHBG had consistently normal audiologic findings. Hearing function disorders were detected in 87% (13/15) of the NHBG-children, ranging from total deafness to normal BA, including unilateral and bilateral deafness as well as cochlear hearing loss. Auditory neuropathy/dys-synchrony (AN) was found in a total of eight children (53%) of the NHBG. In addition, it was found that after the occurrence of NHB20, initially detected TEOAE can disappear in some cases. In the comparison group (CG) only two children demonstrated a hearing dysfunction, both of which were cochlear hearing impairments, whereas no child had AN. A bias towards hearing impairments has to be taken into account for both groups. Detailed pedaudiologic testing should be mandatory for all children after the occurrence of NHB20 including follow-up during the first 12 months. Audiological diagnostic work-up in the affected children requires objective investigations of hearing functions, while BA is recommended to evaluate the adequate therapeutic procedure.

Using the MAUS, it can be determined if and to what extent the test results of an individual deviate from those of the normal primary school population. The MAUS can identify children at risk of having an APD and can differentiate these children from those who are unlikely to suffer from an APD.