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Association between executive/attentional functions and caries in children with cerebral palsy

M Dourado1, Peterson Marco Oliveira Andrade, Maria Letícia Ramos-Jorge

  • 1Departament of Dentistry, Federal University of Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri - UFVJM, Diamantina, MG 39100-000, Brazil. mauricio_mrd@hotmail.com

Research in Developmental Disabilities
|June 12, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) show deficits in attention and executive functions, increasing their risk for dental caries. These cognitive impairments are linked to a higher prevalence of cavities, highlighting the need for targeted oral health strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Cerebral palsy (CP) is associated with various neurodevelopmental challenges.
  • Executive functions and attention are critical cognitive domains.
  • Dental caries remains a significant oral health issue in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between attention/executive functions and dental caries in children with CP.
  • To compare cognitive functions and caries prevalence between children with CP and a control group.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 76 children with CP and 89 typically developing children.
  • Assessment of socioeconomic status, motor impairment, intellectual, executive, and attentional functions.
  • Evaluation of the presence of dental caries.

Main Results:

  • Children with CP demonstrated significantly lower performance in intelligence, attention, and executive function tests.
  • Deficits in executive functions (Complex Rey figure test) and attention (backward Digit Span) were significant predictors of dental caries.
  • After controlling for confounding factors, impaired executive and attentional functions increased the likelihood of developing dental caries in children with CP.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive deficits in attention and executive functions are linked to an increased risk of dental caries in children with CP.
  • These findings underscore the importance of considering neurodevelopmental status in managing oral health for children with CP.
  • Further research should explore interventions targeting cognitive support for improved oral hygiene adherence in this population.

Keywords:
Attentional deficitsCerebral palsyDental cariesExecutive functionsOral health

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