title: Thalamic atrophy in infants with PVL and cerebral visual impairment.
abstract: The aim of this retrospective study was to establish the presence and severity of cerebral visual impairment in preterm infants with PVL. We also wished to establish whether abnormalities of visual function are related to brain MRI findings and more specifically not only to the involvement of optic radiations and occipital cortex but also to changes in the thalami, that are often affected in infants with PVL. Twelve infants with cystic PVL were assessed at 1 year (+2) corrected age with a battery of tests specifically designed to assess various aspects of visual function in infancy, such as ocular movements, visual acuity, visual fields and fixation shift. All infants also had a brain MRI. Eleven of the 12 had involvement of the optic radiations: all had some abnormalities of visual function and visual impairment was more severe in infants with more extensive involvement of the optic radiations. The child with normal optic radiations had normal visual function. Six of the 12 infants also had obvious signs of atrophy of the thalami and all had severe and wide-ranging abnormalities of visual function in all testing domains. Two children had equivocal atrophy of the thalami, both had some abnormalities of visual function. Four children had normal thalami and had normal visual function or only minor abnormalities on one of the visual tests. Our results suggest that the atrophy of the thalami may play an additional role in the abnormal development of visual function in infants with PVL and abnormal optic radiations.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Neurology Unit, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anker
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: Marika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pane
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gallini
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luciano
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Donvito
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baranello
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cesarini
authors.forename: Flaviana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: Costantino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: Janette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Braddick
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guzzetta
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mercuri
mesh_terms: D001284:Atrophy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014787:Vision Tests