Neuropsychological long-term sequelae of perinatal asphyxia

Objective: To investigate the long-term neuropsychological consequences of perinatal asphyxia (PA). Methods: A group of adolescents were assessed with antecedents of mild. (n= 8) and moderate. (n=20) PA, and a matched group of 28 healthy adolescents a s a control group. Neuropsychological assessment included tests of memory, perceptual-motor skills, and frontal lobe functions, because these are area s of cognitive functioning susceptible to hypoxic conditions. Results: Subjects with moderate PA showed significant differences from the control group on tests related to delayed recall for both verbal and visual information, perceptual-motor speed, and tests assessing attention and exe cutive functions. Conversely, subjects in the mild PA group exhibited score s which were similar to those of the control group in all the assessed vari ables. Conclusion: The present findings demonstrate that subtle but persistent neu ropsychological deficits were observed in adolescents with antecedents of m oderate PA, but not in those classified with mild asphyxia.