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Evaluation of the corpus callosum in clumsy children born prematurely: a functional and morphological study
E Mercuri1, M Jongmans, S Henderson
1Department of Paediatrics, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, University of London.
Insights
Clumsy children born prematurely often have corpus callosum abnormalities. These structural issues correlate with functional deficits and are linked to early brain lesions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Radiology
Background:
- Premature birth (gestational age < 34 weeks) is associated with various neurodevelopmental challenges.
- Clumsiness, identified by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, can be an indicator of underlying neurological issues.
- The corpus callosum plays a crucial role in interhemispheric communication and motor control.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of functional and neuroradiological abnormalities of the corpus callosum in a group of 21 prematurely born children (GA < 34 weeks) who were found to be "clumsy" on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children at 6 years of age. All children underwent functional and morphological assessment of the corpus callosum. The functional assessment included tests of somesthesis, diadochokinesis and repetitive finger tapping. The morphology of the corpus callosum was evaluated on midsagittal MRI. Thirteen of the 21 clumsy children showed morphological abnormalities which were significantly associated with functional abnormalities. Morphological changes of the corpus callosum were also significantly associated with lesions on both neonatal ultrasound and late MRI. Our results support the view that morphological abnormalities of the corpus callosum are frequent in children born prematurely. The association between these abnormalities and lesions on US or MRI suggests that they are likely to be secondary to pre- or perinatal lesions.