Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Neuronavigation and Laparoscopy Guided Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion for the Treatment of Hydrocephalus
14:59

Neuronavigation and Laparoscopy Guided Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion for the Treatment of Hydrocephalus

Published on: October 14, 2022

Cognitive functions in children with myelomeningocele without hydrocephalus

Barbro Lindquist1, Paul Uvebrant, Eva Rehn

  • 1Department of Habilitation, Halmstad County Hospital, Halmstad, Sweden.

Child'S Nervous System : Chns : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
|March 6, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Hydrocephalus, not myelomeningocele (MMC), significantly impacts children's intelligence and cognitive functions. Children with MMC alone showed normal intelligence, while those with added hydrocephalus experienced deficits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

  • Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a complex birth defect.
  • The co-occurrence of hydrocephalus in children with MMC is common.
  • The independent contributions of MMC and hydrocephalus to cognitive outcomes are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distinct effects of myelomeningocele (MMC) and hydrocephalus on intelligence.
  • To assess the impact of MMC and hydrocephalus on neuropsychological functions in children.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based study in western Sweden.
  • Compared children with MMC only (n=8) to those with MMC and hydrocephalus.
  • Used age- and gender-matched controls for comparison.

Main Results:

  • Children with MMC only had an average IQ of 103, versus 75 for those with MMC and hydrocephalus.
  • The MMC-only group demonstrated superior immediate and long-term memory and executive functions.
  • Excluding two participants with IQ <70, the MMC-only group performed comparably to controls on learning and executive functions.

Conclusions:

  • Hydrocephalus, rather than MMC itself, is strongly associated with cognitive deficits.
  • These findings highlight the critical role of managing hydrocephalus in improving cognitive outcomes for children with MMC.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Event-related Potentials During Target-response Tasks to Study Cognitive Processes of Upper Limb Use in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy08:26

Event-related Potentials During Target-response Tasks to Study Cognitive Processes of Upper Limb Use in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

Published on: January 11, 2016

Frontal Disconnection for Treating Mild Malformation of Cortical Development with Oligodendroglial Hyperplasia in Epilepsy (MOGHE) in the Frontal Lobe06:04

Frontal Disconnection for Treating Mild Malformation of Cortical Development with Oligodendroglial Hyperplasia in Epilepsy (MOGHE) in the Frontal Lobe

Published on: August 16, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development01:17

Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development

During Piaget's concrete operational stage, from ages 7 to 11, children exhibit a marked increase in logical thinking skills, specifically in relation to tangible, real-world events. This stage is characterized by the development of several essential cognitive concepts, including conservation, reversibility, and classification, all of which support the child's evolving capacity for structured thought.
Conservation and Constancy of Quantity
A significant cognitive milestone in the concrete...
Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development01:14

Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development

The preoperational stage, the second of Jean Piaget's four stages of cognitive development, spans approximately ages 2 to 7 and is characterized by the emergence of symbolic thinking. During this stage, children use language, images, and symbols to represent objects and concepts, enabling them to engage in imaginative and pretend play. This symbolic thinking supports children's ability to perform make-believe actions, such as imagining a broom as a horse or their hand as a phone, blending...
Cerebrospinal Fluid01:21

Cerebrospinal Fluid

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a colorless liquid that flows around the brain and the spinal cord, playing a vital role in the protection, support, and overall function of the central nervous system (CNS). CSF production, circulation, and absorption are tightly regulated processes essential for the brain and spinal cord to function properly.
CSF Production
CSF is produced mainly in the choroid plexus, a network of capillaries and ependymal cells located within the ventricular system of the brain.
Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development01:14

Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development

The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...