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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
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Mouse Models of Periventricular Leukomalacia
Published on: May 18, 2010
Cognitive visual dysfunctions in preterm children with periventricular leukomalacia
Elisa Fazzi1, Stefania Bova, Alessia Giovenzana
1Centre of Child Neurophthalmology, Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, IRCCS 'C Mondino Institute of Neurology' Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|May 7, 2009
Summary
Children born preterm with periventricular leukomalacia often have cognitive visual dysfunctions (CVDs) affecting higher visual processing. These deficits can occur even without major MRI-visible brain damage, suggesting widespread system involvement.
Area of Science:
- Child neuropsychology
- Neuroscience
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Cognitive visual dysfunctions (CVDs) impair visual information processing.
- Classifying CVDs based on brain damage is crucial in child neuropsychology.
- Preterm birth is a risk factor for neurological and visual impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cognitive visual dysfunctions in preterm children with periventricular leukomalacia.
- To explore the relationship between brain damage patterns and CVDs.
- To determine if CVDs can be classified based on underlying brain pathology.
Main Methods:
- Studied 22 preterm children (mean age 8 years) with periventricular leukomalacia and spastic diplegia.
- Assessed higher visual functions, intelligence, and visual acuity.
- Analyzed brain MRI for lesions in visual pathways and processing regions.
Main Results:
- Most children showed uneven cognitive profiles with deficits in visual recognition, imagery, spatial skills, and memory.
- Visual associative abilities, non-verbal intelligence, and face/letter recognition were often spared.
- Conventional MRI revealed no major alterations in parietal/temporal white matter or associative visual cortices.
Conclusions:
- Preterm children with periventricular leukomalacia exhibit widespread involvement of higher visual processing systems (ventral and dorsal streams).
- Subtle CVDs can manifest despite the absence of significant findings on conventional MRI.
- Malfunctioning of higher visual processing systems may underlie these neuropsychological deficits.
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