title: Spastic diplegia in preterm-born children: Executive function impairment and neuroanatomical correlates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The neuropsychological literature on preterm-born children with spastic diplegia due to periventricular leukomalacia is convergent in reporting deficits in non-verbal intelligence and in visuo-spatial abilities. Nevertheless, other cognitive functions have found to be impaired, but data are scant and not correlated with neuroimaging findings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study analyzes the neuropsychological strengths and weaknesses in preterm-born children with spastic diplegia (pSD) and their relationships with neuroanatomical findings, investigated by a novel scale for MRI classification.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen children with pSD, mild to moderate upper limb impairment and Verbal IQ>80, and 38 normal controls were evaluated with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery (NEPSY-II), assessing Attention/Executive Functioning, Language, Memory, Sensorimotor, Social Perception and Visuospatial Processing domains. The MRIs were quantitatively scored for lesion severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that, beyond core visuo-spatial and sensory-motor deficits, impairments in attention and executive functions were present in more than half of the sample, particularly in children with damage to the anterior corpus callosum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings are discussed in terms of clinical and rehabilitative implications tailored for pSD subgroups diversified for neuropsychological and neuroanatomical characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: mcdilieto@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Di Lieto
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: pbrovedani@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brovedani
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: cpecini@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pecini
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: achilosi@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chilosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: vbelmonti@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Belmonti
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Sciences, University of Udine, Via Margreth 3, 33100, Udine, Italy. Electronic address: franco.fabbro@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fabbro
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Sciences, University of Udine, Via Margreth 3, 33100, Udine, Italy. Electronic address: cosimo.urgesi@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Urgesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: sfiori@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fiori
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: aguzzetta@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guzzetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: sperazza@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perazza
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: esicola@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sicola
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: gcioni@fsm.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cioni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007802:Language; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012938:Social Perception; D065855:Spatial Processing
keywords: Children; Executive functions; NEPSY-II; Neuroanatomical correlates; Neuropsychological profile; Preterm spastic diplegia