Cerebellum Structure Differences and Relationship to Speech in Boys and Girls with Nonsyndromic Cleft of the Lip and/or Palate

Abstract

Objective To identify regional cerebellar structural differences in boys and girls with nonsyndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate and determine whether these differences are related to speech impairment. Design Between 2003 and 2007, measures on cerebellar volume were obtained on 43 children with nonsyndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate and 43 age- and sex-matched, healthy controls. Children with the cleft condition also received speech evaluations. Children with nonsyndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate were recruited from clinic records, and controls (screened for medical, psychiatric, speech/language, and behavioral concerns) were recruited from the local community. All tests were administered at a large midwestern hospital. Boys and girls with nonsyndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate were compared with the healthy controls on global and regional measures of cerebellar volume. Areas of significant difference were then correlated with measures of speech to assess relationships in children with nonsyndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate. Results Boys with nonsyndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate had smaller cerebellums than controls (p = .002); whereas, for girls, only regional reductions in size reached significance (corpus medullare, p = .040). Cerebellum size was correlated with articulation for boys (p = .045). Conclusions These findings lend support to previous research documenting abnormal brain structure in children with nonsyndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate and suggest that the cerebellum may play a role in speech deficits along with other structural causes, at least in boys.

The Relationship of Exposure to Anesthesia on Outcomes in Children With Isolated Oral Clefts

“…Identification of increased risk for later behavioral and cognitive deficits, including ADHD, 1–3 social withdrawal, 4–7 and learning disabilities, 8–11 has sparked interest in possible factors of etiology. Early work has focused on medical and social factors related to cleft (i.e., speech and hearing difficulties, 12–14 social stigma 15 ).…”

Cleft lip and palate: understanding genetic and environmental influences

“…Sub-clinical phenotypes can include minor structural variants including lip pits/prints, 28 dental anomalies, 29 defects of the orbicularis oris muscle, 30, 31 3D facial image measurement, 27 brain variants as assessed by MRI 32, 33 or by surrogate measures 34, 35 , and speech or cognitive differences such as velopharyngeal insufficiency, reading disability and IQ. Palatal subphenotypes have been less explored but also include bifid uvula, submucous cleft palate, the differentiation of clefts of the hard and soft palate and possibly ankyloglossia.…”

Reading Achievement in Boys With Non-Syndromic Cleft Palate Only: Relationship to Neuropsychological Skill and Neurocircuitry

“…Differences have been identified in infancy (Yang, McPherson, Shu, Xie, & Xiang, 2011), childhood (Devolder, Richman, Conrad, Magnotta, & Nopoulos, 2013; Nopoulos et al, 2007), and adulthood (Nopoulos, Berg, Canady, et al, 2002). Additionally, these differences have been found to directly correlate with disruptions in cognitive functioning (Nopoulos, Berg, VanDemark, et al, 2002), behavior (van der Plas, Koscik, Conrad, Moser, & Nopoulos, 2013), and speech (Conrad et al, 2010). …”