Js. Skranes et al., CEREBRAL MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING AND MENTAL AND MOTOR FUNCTION OF VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT CHILDREN AT 6 YEARS OF AGE, Neuropediatrics, 28(3), 1997, pp. 149-154
In this follow-up study, 20 of a geographically based year cohort of 3
1 surviving non-disabled VLBW (birthweight < 1500 g) children were exa
mined at six years of age. The aim of the study was to relate cerebral
MRI findings to neuro-development in these non-disabled children at s
ix years of age. All MRI scans were evaluated for myelination pattern,
periventricular gliosis, ventricular dilation and cortical atrophy. T
he Peabody motor test and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of
Intelligence (WPPSI) were used in the evaluation of motor, mental and
perceptual function. A diagnosis of attention deficit disorder with hy
peractivity was made based on the examiner's impression of the child d
uring the examination and based on the parent's history. We found that
ten (50 %) of the children had periventricular gliosis, mainly in cen
trum semiovale (CS) (nine children) and in central occipital white mat
ter (COW) (six children). Gliosis in CS was related to lower scores on
the Peabody gross motor test for locomotion, indicating involvement o
f corticospinal tracts. Additional gliosis in COW was related to both
fine motor and gross motor impairments. We speculate that this indicat
es damage to both motor and visual pathways, affecting eye-hand coordi
nation and balance function. No relationship between MRI deviations at
six years and mental function based on performance, verbal and total
IQ scores was found. However, there was a significant relationship bet
ween periventricular gliosis in COW and CS and low scores on the WPPSI
performance subtests: Picture completion test and Block design test.
This may indicate visual and spatial perception problems, caused by da
mage to posterior visual pathways and occipito-thalamic tracts dealing
with visuo-motor integration.