Visual-perceptual impairment in children with periventricular leukomalacia

Brain Dev. 2004 Dec;26(8):506-12. doi: 10.1016/j.braindev.2004.02.002.

Abstract

We set out to define visuo-perceptual impairment related to periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) using the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP). Correlations were sought between visual-perceptual deficits and DTVP profile and neuroradiological and neurophthalmological findings. The DTVP was administered to 20 children (m/f: 10/10), aged between 5 and 8 years (mean: 6.95 years), presenting with: spastic diplegia; PVL documented by brain MRI; normal or mildly impaired visual acuity; mild-moderate upper limb functional impairment. The mean General Visual-Perceptual Quotient was impaired, showing a great variability among the patients. Despite this, an uneven DTPV profile, characterised by a significant difference between the VMIQ and the Non-Motor Visual-Perceptual Quotient (P < 0.001) and a poor result on the Closure subtest (identification of whole figures from incomplete visual information) was observed in all the subjects. This profile reflects a deficit in eye-hand coordination and in praxic-constructional abilities and could be the expression of malfunctioning of the occipital-parietal pathway of visual integration, the so-called 'dorsal stream,' a hypothesis reinforced by the emergence of a statistically significant correlation between the neuroradiological data and the presence of visual-perceptual impairment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Leukomalacia, Periventricular / complications
  • Leukomalacia, Periventricular / diagnosis*
  • Leukomalacia, Periventricular / physiopathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Models, Neurological
  • Motor Skills Disorders / diagnosis
  • Motor Skills Disorders / etiology
  • Motor Skills Disorders / physiopathology
  • Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / pathology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / diagnosis
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / etiology
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / physiopathology
  • Parietal Lobe / physiopathology
  • Perceptual Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Perceptual Disorders / etiology
  • Perceptual Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Radiography
  • Vision Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Vision Disorders / etiology
  • Vision Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Visual Cortex / physiopathology
  • Visual Fields / physiology
  • Visual Pathways / diagnostic imaging
  • Visual Pathways / pathology
  • Visual Pathways / physiopathology