Minor neurological dysfunction and cognition in 9-year-olds born at term

In children with developmental disorders, motor problems often co-occur with cognitive difficulties. Associations between specific cognitive deficits underlying learning problems and minor neurological dysfunction (MND) are still unknown.

To assess associations between specific types of MND as clinical markers of non-optimal brain function and performance in specific cognitive domains.

Part of a randomized controlled trial.

Three hundred and forty one 9-year-old children born at term (177 boys, 164 girls).

Children were neurologically assessed to detect eight types of MND: mild dysfunction in posture and muscle tone, reflexes, coordination, fine manipulative ability, sensory function, cranial nerve function, choreiform dyskinesia and excessive associated movements. Cognitive function in the domains of attention, memory and language was evaluated using the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch), a developmental neuropsychological assessment (NEPSY) and the Children's Memory Scale.

Fine manipulative disability and coordination problems were associated with lower scores on attention, memory and learning and language, other types of MND were not. Girls with coordination problems performed significantly worse on attention/executive function than those without this dysfunction; however, in boys, such association was absent.

Particularly, fine manipulative disability and coordination problems were associated with worse cognitive function in the domains of attention, learning and memory and language. Previous and present data suggest a minor sex difference in neurocognitive associations: in girls dysfunction of the cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathways may be associated with cognitive deficits, while in boys cognitive impairment may be associated with dysfunction of cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical pathways.