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Cerebral blood flow velocity and language functioning in pediatric sickle cell disease

Carmen E Sanchez1, Jeffrey Schatz, Carla W Roberts

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA. sanchece@mailbox.sc.edu

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS
|February 5, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and elevated transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocities show impaired syntactical language skills. Monitoring language development is crucial for these children to address potential cognitive impacts.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Neuroscience
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder associated with increased risk of cerebrovascular complications.
  • Elevated cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), measured by Transcranial Doppler (TCD), is a known risk factor for stroke in children with SCD.
  • Cognitive deficits, including language impairments, are increasingly recognized in children with SCD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between elevated CBFV and specific language abilities in children with high-risk SCD genotypes.
  • To determine if TCD velocities predict language skill performance in this population.
  • To explore potential links between cerebrovascular changes and cognitive function in pediatric SCD.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 39 children (ages 5-8) with high-risk SCD underwent comprehensive cognitive testing, including language, visual-motor, and attention/working memory assessments.
  • Cerebral blood flow velocities were measured using TCD and analyzed in conjunction with cognitive test scores.
  • Statistical analyses controlled for anemia severity to isolate the effect of TCD velocities on cognitive outcomes.

Main Results:

  • TCD velocities significantly predicted scores on tests of syntactical language skills, even after accounting for anemia severity.
  • No strong associations were found between TCD velocities and semantic or phonological abilities.
  • Other cognitive skills, such as visual-motor and attention/working memory, did not show a strong relationship with TCD velocities.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated CBFV in children with high-risk SCD may specifically impact syntactical language development.
  • These findings suggest that cerebrovascular changes related to SCD could lead to specific language impairments.
  • Clinicians should monitor language skills in children with SCD and elevated TCD velocities due to their potential sensitivity to cerebrovascular disruption.

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