title: Visual perceptual impairment in children at 5 years of age with perinatal haemorrhagic or ischaemic brain damage in relation to cerebral magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Children with perinatally acquired parenchymal haemorrhage are thought to have better visual perceptual skills than those with leukomalacia. We examined seven prematurely born children with parenchymal haemorrhage and 14 with grades 2-4 leukomalacia, at the age of 5 years. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging parameters were related to visual perceptual performance assessed with the L94, using performance age. Belonging to the leukomalacia group, the inability to walk, a diminished peritrigonal white matter, a high degree of gliosis and cortical damage were associated with poorer visuo-perceptual skills. Enlarged lateral ventricles, confirming the findings of Melhelm (Radiology 214 (2000) 199), were associated with both cognitive, perceptual and motor problems and probably reflect the considerable extent of the brain damage. Specific factors protecting against visual perceptual impairment were a preserved volume of the right optical radiation and of the splenium of the corpus callosum. Children with leukomalacia are at considerable risk of visual perceptual impairment. Children with right-sided parenchymal haemorrhages also appear to be at risk although they function much better due to better motor and cognitive skills.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Neurology, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands. bm.vandenhout@c2i.net
authors.forename: Bernadette M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: van den Hout
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Meiners
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stiers
authors.forename: Yvonne T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: van der Schouw
authors.forename: Aag
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jennekens-Schinkel
authors.forename: Dienke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wittebol-Post
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van der Linde
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vandenbussche
authors.forename: Onno
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: van Nieuwenhuizen
mesh_terms: D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology