title: Neuropsychological follow-up at school age of children with asymmetric ventricles or unilateral ventriculomegaly identified in utero.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the long-term neuropsychological outcome of children with a prenatal diagnosis of asymmetric ventricles or unilateral ventriculomegaly.
  
  
  METHODS
  A clinic-based neuropsychological study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paediatric neurology clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three of 41 children, previously assessed at kindergarten age, with asymmetric ventricles or unilateral ventriculomegaly identified in utero, were recruited at school age for a neuropsychological follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  All children, 9-11 years of age, underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests and the parents completed behavioural rating questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  Results of the neuropsychological assessment and parents' questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between children diagnosed with either asymmetric ventricles or unilateral ventriculomegaly in most parameters relative to the general population; the full-scale IQ scores were 103.13 ± 12.43 and 103.56 ± 10.5, respectively. A significantly lower performance was found only on one measure of attention among the unilateral ventriculomegaly group and on writing speed tasks among the asymmetric ventricles group. Both study groups showed significantly higher scores than expected in the normal population on a verbal fluency test. Comparison of both groups combined with the normative population yielded significantly lower scores only in attention tests. Yet, the clinical population showed significantly higher scores on writing accuracy, processing speed and verbal fluency and lower rates of executive dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asymmetric ventricles or unilateral ventriculomegaly identified in utero does not appear to affect long-term mental development and school achievements. Further prospective research on a larger sample is needed in order to confirm our findings.
authors.affiliation: The Academic College of Tel-Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atad-Rapoport
authors.affiliation: The Academic College of Tel-Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schweiger
authors.affiliation: Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lev
authors.affiliation: The Academic College of Tel-Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadan-Strul
authors.affiliation: Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.|Obstetrics & Gynecology Ultrasound Division, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malinger
authors.affiliation: Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lerman-Sagie
mesh_terms: D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Asymmetric ventricles; fetal ultrasound; neuropsychological assessment; outcome; unilateral ventriculomegaly