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Assessing Long-Term Neurodevelopment among Children with Non-Syndromic Single Suture Craniosynostosis
Abdoljalil Kalantar-Hormozi1, Ali Abbaszadeh-Kasbi2, Hadis Kalantar-Hormozi3,4
1Department of Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery, 15 Khordad Hospital, Medical College of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science (SBMU), Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Children with single suture craniosynostosis (SSC) show lower verbal IQ (ages 2-6) and processing speed (ages 6-16) compared to peers. Overall cognitive function is within the normal range but slightly reduced.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Single suture craniosynostosis (SSC) is a condition impacting pediatric brain development.
- Existing literature presents conflicting findings regarding cognitive outcomes in children with SSC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cognitive function in children diagnosed with single suture craniosynostosis (SSC).
- To compare cognitive performance between children with SSC and unaffected children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study conducted between 2014-2016, including 70 children (ages 2-16) with SSC who underwent cranial vault remodeling.
- Cognitive assessments utilized Wechsler questionnaires: WPPSI-III and WISC-IV, administered based on age.
- Comparison of cognitive scores (FSIQ, Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, etc.) between SSC patients and healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Children with SSC exhibited significantly lower Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) and Verbal IQ compared to unaffected children (P<0.05 and P<0.007, respectively).
- A significant difference was observed in processing speed between children with SSC and controls (P<0.012).
- Subgroup analysis revealed lower Verbal IQ in younger children (2-6 years) and lower processing speed in older children (6-16 years) with SSC.
Conclusions:
- Children with SSC demonstrate specific cognitive deficits, including lower Verbal IQ in younger age groups and reduced processing speed in older age groups.
- While overall FSIQ in children with SSC is within the normal range, it is statistically lower than that of their healthy peers.
- These findings highlight the importance of targeted cognitive evaluation and support for children with single suture craniosynostosis.
Background:
Single suture craniosynostosis (SSC) is a disorder, affecting brain growth. Reviewing literature reveals controversialists of papers in this field.
Methods:
This prospective study was conducted from 2014 to 2016. All the individuals, aged 2 to 16 years, whose medical records files were complete, with SSC from 1999 to 2013 were included. All patients had undergone cranial vault remodeling at Mofid Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Wechsler questionnaires, WPPSI-III and WISC-IV, were completed for each child based on his/her age.
Results:
Seventy children were included, with the mean age of 6.7 (±2.9) years. Forty-six (65.7%) children were boys while 24 (34.3%) were girls. Mean FSIQ for all of children was 95.5 (±13.2). Mean verbal IQ, performance IQ, verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, processing speed, and working memory are 93.4 (±14.1), 96.1 (±13.3), 97.5 (±13.9), 102.2 (±12.5), 94.5 (±9.8), and 97.5 (±12.9), respectively. There was statistically significant difference between FSIQ of children with SSC and that of unaffected children (P-value<0.05). There was significant difference between verbal IQ of children with SSC and that of unaffected ones (P-value< 0.007). There was significant difference between in processing speed between affected children and unaffected children (P-value<0.012).
Conclusion:
Children, aged 2 to 6 years, with SSC had a significantly lower Verbal IQ, and children, aged 6 to 16 years, with SSC had a significantly lower processing speed than their healthy counterparts. Though FSIQ of children with SSC falls within normal range, it is a little lower than healthy peers.
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