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Examining links between somatosensation and cognition in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy

Kassandra M Hewitt1,2, Donna M Bayliss1, Belinda A McLean2,3,4

  • 1School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Child Neuropsychology : a Journal on Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence
|February 3, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Somatosensory function in the affected hand is linked to cognitive abilities in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Impaired wrist position sense and haptic ability may predict lower intelligence scores in these children.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

  • Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often experience impaired somatosensation and cognition.
  • Hemiplegic CP specifically presents high rates of somatosensory deficits (approx. 75%) and intellectual impairment (approx. 33%).
  • The relationship between somatosensation and cognition in CP has not been previously explored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between somatosensation and cognitive functioning in children with hemiplegic CP.
  • To determine if the pattern of brain injury moderates the somatosensation-cognition relationship.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 47 children (mean age 11.0 years) with hemiplegic CP.
  • Cognition assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V).
  • Somatosensation measured using Sense©_Assess Kids, evaluating wrist position sense and haptic ability in both hands.

Main Results:

  • Somatosensory function in the affected hand (wrist position sense and haptic ability) significantly correlated with most WISC-V Index scores.
  • Wrist position sense of the affected hand predicted visuospatial ability, fluid reasoning, and overall intelligence.
  • Haptic ability of the affected hand predicted verbal comprehension and overall intelligence; associations for the less-affected hand were inconsistent.

Conclusions:

  • Somatosensory impairments, particularly in the affected hand, are associated with cognitive performance in children with hemiplegic CP.
  • The pattern of brain injury did not consistently moderate these somatosensation-cognition relationships.
  • Identifying somatosensory difficulties could offer early insights into cognitive profiles of children with hemiplegic CP.

Keywords:
Cerebral PalsyCognitionHemiplegiaNeuropsychological AssessmentSomatosensation

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