Cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Mental and Motor Function of Very Low Birth Weight Children at Six Years of Age

Abstract

In this follow-up study, 20 of a geographically based year cohort of 31 surviving non-disabled VLBW (birthweight < 1500 g) children were examined at six years of age. The aim of the study was to relate cerebral MRI findings to neuro-development in these non-disabled children at six years of age. All MRI scans were evaluated for myelination pattern, periventricular gliosis, ventricular dilation and cortical atrophy. The Peabody motor test and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) were used in the evaluation of motor, mental and perceptual function. A diagnosis of attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity was made based on the examiner's impression of the child during the examination and based on the parent's history. We found that ten (50%) of the children had periventricular gliosis, mainly in centrum semiovale (CS) (nine children) and in central occipital white matter (COW) (six children). Gliosis in CS was related to lower scores on the Peabody gross motor test for locomotion, indicating involvement of corticospinal tracts. Additional gliosis in COW was related to both fine motor and gross motor impairments. We speculate that this indicates damage to both motor and visual pathways, affecting eye-hand coordination and balance function. No relationship between MRI deviations at six years and mental function based on performance, verbal and total IQ scores was found. However, there was a significant relationship between periventricular gliosis in COW and C5 and low scores on the WPPSI performance subtests: Picture completion test and Block design test. This may indicate visual and spatial perception problems, caused by damage to posterior visual pathways and occipito-thalamic tracts dealing with visuo-motor integration.

Distinguishing between Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease by Means of the WAIS: A Meta-analysis

“…In addition, executive processes might be involved in reduced productivity in performing the Block Design, Picture Arrangement and Picture Completion tests (Lezak, 1995). Indeed, based on the literature, we expected more impairment in both the VaD and sVaD group for the following of these tests: Block Design (Johnson, Head, Kim, Starr & Cotman, 1999;Skranes et al, 1997;Wallesch, Curio, Galazsky, Jost & Synowitz, 2001), Digit Symbol Substitution (Boone, Pontón, Gorsuch, González & Miller, 1998;Mahurin, Velligan & Miller, 1998;Peavy et al, 2001), Picture Arrangement (Deckel, 1999;Hasselbalch et al, 1992;Peavy et al, 2001), and Picture Completion (Mahieux et al, 1998;Skranes et al, 1997). Also, the Object Assembly test does reveal frontal processing (Peavy et al, 2001;Randolph et al, 1993) and might involve an executive component.…”

Caudate and Hippocampal Volumes, Intelligence, and Motor Impairment in 7-Year-Old Children Who Were Born Preterm

“…Similar results have been found in other studies. Skranes et al (8) found no correlation between MRI abnormality and IQ in VLBW children without disability at 6 y of age, and Krageloh-Mann et al (9) found no difference in performance in intelligence tests in very preterm children, with and without MRI abnormalities. Stewart et al (10) and Rushe et al (11) reported the results of MRI brain scans and neuropsychological outcome at age 14 -15 y of a cohort of 75 participants who were born at Ͻ33 wk gestation; 55% of this group had structural brain abnormalities demonstrated on MRI brain scans, but those with abnormal MRI brain scans did not perform less well on any measure of cognitive function.…”

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia predicts adverse developmental and clinical outcomes in very‐low‐birthweight infants

“…7 The impaired control of sensory motor skills may be linked to damage in both the corticospinal tract and the visual pathways. 22 Diffuse prenatal (i.e. perinatal infection leading to cytokine-mediated inflammatory processes) 23 and postnatal insults (i.e.…”