Related Experiment Videos
Cognitive functioning in children with sickle cell disease: a meta-analysis
Jeffrey Schatz1, Robert L Finke, Julie M Kellett
1Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA. schatz@sc.edu
Insights
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is linked to cognitive impairments in children, even without brain damage. Specific cognitive tests reveal these effects more clearly than general IQ scores.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Hematology
Background:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder with potential systemic complications.
- Cognitive deficits in children with SCD are a growing concern, particularly in the absence of overt neurological damage like cerebral infarction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if sickle cell disease (SCD) impacts cognitive functioning in children without cerebral infarction.
- To quantify the cognitive differences between children with SCD and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis was performed on existing studies examining cognition in children with SCD.
- Methodological quality of studies was assessed to evaluate its influence on observed group differences.
Main Results:
- Children with SCD exhibited small but statistically significant decrements in cognitive functioning, with an average IQ difference of 4.3 points.
- More rigorous studies confirmed these findings, though sampling issues affected IQ effect sizes.
- Specific cognitive ability measures were more sensitive in detecting cognitive decrements in SCD than general IQ scores.
Conclusions:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with cognitive impairments, irrespective of cerebral infarction.
- Potential causes include direct neurological effects of SCD or indirect consequences of chronic illness.
Objective:
To establish whether sickle cell disease (SCD) affects cognitive functioning in children with no evidence of cerebral infarction.
Methods:
We conducted a meta-analysis of studies of cognition in SCD to determine the size of any statistical difference between children with SCD and controls. Methodological factors were evaluated according to the size and frequency of group differences.
Results:
There were small but reliable decrements in cognitive functioning on IQ measures (4.3-point difference overall). The most methodologically rigorous studies showed a highly similar pattern. Sampling issues associated with the effect size for IQ were identified. Measures of specific abilities appear more sensitive than IQ scores to cognitive decrements in SCD.
Conclusions:
SCD is associated with cognitive effects even in the absence of cerebral infarction. The causes of this cognitive decrement may include direct effects of SCD on brain function or indirect effects of chronic illness.