Related Experiment Videos
Temperament profiles of children with vein of Galen malformations
R Nass1, J Melnick, A Berenstein
1Department of Neurology, New York University Medical Center, NY, USA.
Insights
Children with vein of Galen malformations show a positive temperament, unaffected by neurological issues. Their subcortical malformation may explain this easier temperament and lack of lateralization effects.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Congenital vein of Galen malformations (VGM) are rare brain abnormalities.
- Previous research often associates brain injury in children with difficult temperaments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the temperament profile of children with congenital vein of Galen malformations.
- To determine if neurological abnormalities or lesion laterality affect temperament in these children.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Temperament Scales of Carey, McDevitt, Fullard, Hegvik, and Medoff-Cooper.
- Assessed 20 children (4 months to 12 years) with VGM, analyzing temperament in relation to neurological comorbidities and lesion location.
Main Results:
- Children with VGM exhibited a relatively positive temperament profile.
- Temperament was not significantly different from controls across easy, difficult, slow-to-warm-up, and intermediate clusters.
- Temperament remained unaffected by neurological abnormalities, age, sex, or socioeconomic status.
- No association was found between right-sided focal cortical pathology and increased activity, distractibility, or emotional difficulty, contrary to adult findings.
Conclusions:
- Congenital vein of Galen malformations are associated with a relatively positive temperament in children.
- The subcortical nature of VGM may contribute to the observed temperament profile and absence of lateralization effects on behavior.
Abstract:
Unlike many brain injured children who are often rather difficult, toddlers and school-aged children with congenital vein of Galen malformations (n = 20; age range, 4 months to 12 years with a mean of 4 years) evidence a relatively positive temperament profile (based on the Temperament Scales of Carey, McDevitt, Fullard, Hegvik, Medoff-Cooper). They do not, however, differ from normal children with regard to the frequency of easy, difficult, slow to warm up, and intermediate temperament clusters. The temperament profile of children with vein of Galen malformations appears unaffected by additional neurologic abnormalities (hydrocephalus, abnormal developmental quotient, seizure disorder, focal cortical lesions) or other factors including age at testing, sex, or socioeconomic status. Contrary to the findings in adults of right hemisphere dominance for attention, presence of additional right-sided focal cortical pathology was not associated with greater activity level, distractibility, or impersistence. In contrast to the findings in adults and children of right hemisphere dominance for emotions in general, children with vein of Galen malformations and additional right hemisphere cortical damage are not more difficult than those with additional left cortical pathology or no additional focal cortical pathology. The fact that the pathology in vein of Galen malformations is subcortical may explain their relatively easier temperament and the absence of lateralization effects.