Neuroscience 2001 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 475.19 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | MRI correlate of visual perceptual impairment in children with early brain damage. |
| Authors: |
Stiers, P.*1
; Fonteyne, A.1
; Demaerel, P.2
; Casteels, I.3
; Lagae, L.4
; Vandenbussche, E.1
1Lab. Neuropsych., K.U.L., Leuven, Belgium 2Neuroradiol., K.U.L., Leuven, Belgium 3Ophthalm., K.U.L., Leuven, Belgium 4Pediatr., K.U.L., Leuven, Belgium |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Development - Development of Sensory, Motor and Limbic Systems -- Visual system |
| Secondary Theme and Topics | Cognition and Behavior<br />- Human Cognition and Behavior<br />-- Other higher functions |
| Session: |
475. Development of sensory, motor and limbic systems: visual systems--cortex Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Tuesday, November 13, 2001 10:00 AM-11:00 AM |
| Location: | Exhibit Hall C-2 |
| Keywords: | OBJECT RECOGNITION, CEREBRAL VISUAL IMPAIRMENT, WHITE MATTER DAMAGE, MENTAL RETARDATION |
To single out visual perceptual impairment in children with multiple handicap, Stiers ea. (Brain Dev 21:397) evaluated visual perception against non-verbal intelligence. This procedure revealed impaired visual categorization of suboptimal object presentations in children with early ischaemic brain damage, but not in a control group with mental retardation.
To confirm that these impairments are perceptual in nature, 3 children (7-10 yr.) with divers clinical features but impairment on the visual perception battery L94 relative to their non-verbal intelligence, underwent a structural MRI scan to ascertain whether their brain lesions converged in visual neural structures. All had spastic diplegia following preterm birth. Visual acuity was between 0.5 and 1.0. In addition, one child with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) had normal IQ but specific learning disabilities, one child with PVL had specific non-verbal intelligence impairment, and the third child had non-ischaemic hydrocephalus with global mental retardation.
The multi-channel MRI scans were analyzed by an uninformed neuroradiologist along 53 parameters covering relevant cerebral and subcortical structures. This revealed extensive white matter reduction bilateral in the parietal and occipital lobe and in the posterior corpus callosum as the common site of damage. This result justifies the attribution of the children's reduced scores on perceptual tasks to visual perceptual deficits and is in line with the hypothesis that congenital visual perceptual impairment requires bilateral lesions (van den Hout ea., Dev Med Child Neurol 42:376).
To confirm that these impairments are perceptual in nature, 3 children (7-10 yr.) with divers clinical features but impairment on the visual perception battery L94 relative to their non-verbal intelligence, underwent a structural MRI scan to ascertain whether their brain lesions converged in visual neural structures. All had spastic diplegia following preterm birth. Visual acuity was between 0.5 and 1.0. In addition, one child with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) had normal IQ but specific learning disabilities, one child with PVL had specific non-verbal intelligence impairment, and the third child had non-ischaemic hydrocephalus with global mental retardation.
The multi-channel MRI scans were analyzed by an uninformed neuroradiologist along 53 parameters covering relevant cerebral and subcortical structures. This revealed extensive white matter reduction bilateral in the parietal and occipital lobe and in the posterior corpus callosum as the common site of damage. This result justifies the attribution of the children's reduced scores on perceptual tasks to visual perceptual deficits and is in line with the hypothesis that congenital visual perceptual impairment requires bilateral lesions (van den Hout ea., Dev Med Child Neurol 42:376).
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2001 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2001. Online.
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