The first neurophysiological evidence for cognitive brain dysfunctions in children with CATCH

CATCH syndrome, caused by a microdelection in chromosome 22, is characterized by cleft palate and cardiac anomalies. The majority of these children also have learning difficulties or speech and language deficits. These problems are often due to the dysmorphology of the articulatory system. In the present study, the duration of auditory sensory memory, which is of central importance to speech perception and understanding, was investigated. As a research method we used mismatch negativity (MMN), an attention independent event-related potential, which provides an objective electrical index of auditory sensory memory. The present data suggest that the duration of this memory span is considerably shorter in 6-10-year-old children with CATCH than in healthy controls. Thus, the language-related problems encountered in children suffering from CATCH syndrome are likely to be caused also by CNS dysfunctions.