title: Praxis skills and executive function in children with neurofibromatosis type 1.
abstract: This study aimed at examining motor and ideomotor praxis skills in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The impact of executive dysfunction, frequently described in children with NF1, on the expression of praxis impairments was also studied. Eighteen children with NF1 were included and matched with 20 control children for age (7-14 years), sex, laterality, and parental education level. Both groups of children underwent an assessment based on cognitive models of apraxia including visuomotor tasks, executive tests, and everyday life questionnaires. The group of children with NF1 showed a trend to weaker performances on motor and ideomotor praxis than the control group, only on the finger use condition (ps < .05; with a moderate to large effect size), but not regarding manual use condition (ps > .08). Moreover, these praxis difficulties disappeared when executive dysfunctions (planning and inhibition) were controlled. These findings support the negative impact of executive dysfunctions on praxis skills in children with NF1. The identification of praxis and executive function disorders as well as their interaction is important for differentiating primary praxic disorder from a cognitive deficit that may be expressed in gesture. Clinically, this distinction is essential to optimize targeted and effective rehabilitative interventions.
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Psychology LPPL (EA 4638), UBL , Brittany-Loire University , Angers , France.|b Reference Center for Learning Disabilities , University Hospital of Nantes , Nantes , France.
authors.forename: Chrystelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Remigereau
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Psychology LPPL (EA 4638), UBL , Brittany-Loire University , Angers , France.|c Neurofibromatosis Clinic and Reference Center for Learning Disabilities , University Hospital of Nantes , Nantes , France.
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Psychology LPPL (EA 4638), UBL , Brittany-Loire University , Angers , France.|d Pediatric Unit for Learning Disabilities , University Hospital of Nice , Nice , France.
authors.forename: Orianne
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Costini
authors.affiliation: e Neurofibromatosis Clinic , University Hospital of Nantes , Nantes , France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6629-9100
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbarot
authors.affiliation: b Reference Center for Learning Disabilities , University Hospital of Nantes , Nantes , France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bru
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Psychology LPPL (EA 4638), UBL , Brittany-Loire University , Angers , France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Le Gall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Executive dysfunction; learning disabilities; motor coordination; neurodevelopmental disorder; praxis