Neurological soft signs and cognitive performance in early childhood.

Abstract

Background: Neurological Soft Signs (NSS), minor neurological abnormalities, have been implicated as risk factors for poor cognitive performance in small-scale studies. Here we investigate the associations between NSS and multiple domains of cognitive performance in a large, population-based cohort and evaluate sex differences in these associations. Methods: We analyzed data from 35,710 seven-year old children in the Collaborative Perinatal Project to study the association between the number of NSS and cognitive test scores using multiple linear regression models adjusting for risk factors for brain injury and aberrant neurodevelopment. Results: NSS were associated with lower scores on all domains of cognitive performance. Each additional soft sign was associated with lower full scale IQ (b =−4.83, 95% CI = −5.06, −4.60), performance IQ (b = −4.28, CI = −4.54, −4.02), and verbal IQ scores (b = −4.53, CI = −4.76, −4.30); as well as arithmetic (b = −4.06, CI = −4.26, −3.85), spelling (b = −3.53, CI = −3.75, −3.30), and reading (b = −4.00, CI = −4.26,−3.75) scores on the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT). Only one sex difference was observed: the association between NSS and the WRAT spelling test was somewhat stronger in girls (b= −4.01, CI = −4.26, −3.36) than in boys (b= −3.53, CI= −3.75, −3.30). Conclusions: There is an association between NSS and poor cognitive performance that is not attributable to established risk factors for brain injury and aberrant neurodevelopment. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying this association and to determine if interventions targeting NSS in children might have beneficial effects on neurocognitive development.

The role of neurological soft signs in different mathematical skills in second and third grade children

“…Consistent with previous studies (Alamiri et al, 2018; Ardila & Rosselli, 1996; Forrest, 2004; Kim et al, 2018), our findings support that the associations between NSSs and mathematical skills were driven by motor and sensory signs. However, these associations were not detected in third grade children in our study.…”

“…(2) NSSs significantly negatively associated with simultaneous processing in both second and third grade; and (3) NSSs and simultaneous processing have shared variances that contribute to mathematical skills. Consistent with previous studies (Alamiri et al, 2018;Ardila & Rosselli, 1996;Forrest, 2004;Kim et al, 2018), our findings support that the associations between NSSs and mathematical skills were driven by motor and sensory signs. However, these associations were not detected in third grade children in our study.…”

A Preliminary Study on Cranio-Facial Characteristics Associated with Minor Neurological Dysfunctions (MNDs) in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

“…The link between dolichocephalic head shape and sensory deficits in our ASD group, could suggest a strong contribution of dysfunction of subcortical structures in brain growth trajectory. However, the finding that an increase in the number of MNDs is associated with lower global QI, represents a limitation in the generalizability of our result, and adds to the evidence [33] for an independent association between minor neurological impairment and cognitive performance.…”

Neurological Soft Signs and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Biomarker of Severity?

“…Such deficits are well-known to increase the effects of psychosocial stressors related to physical health behaviors (25), academic and vocational productivity (26), and interpersonal relationships (27). Interestingly, literature reports associations of neurological soft signs (NSSs) with poor cognitive performance in healthy subjects (28)(29)(30)(31) as well as in patients with chronic psychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia (32,33), and bipolar subjects (34,35). NSSs are objective performance measures of sensorimotor, reflexive, perceptual, and cognitive capabilities.…”