Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-hvd4g Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-12T10:30:00.844Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Cognitive status of young adults with spina bifida

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2003

HA Barf ,
M Verhoef ,
A Jennekens-Schinkel ,
MWM Post ,
RHJM Gooskens  and
AJH Prevo
HA Barf
Affiliation:
Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat, the Netherlands.
M Verhoef
Affiliation:
Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat, the Netherlands.
A Jennekens-Schinkel
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, the Netherlands.
MWM Post
Affiliation:
iRv, Institute for Rehabilitation Research, Hoensbroek, the Netherlands.
RHJM Gooskens
Affiliation:
Department of Child Neurology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, the Netherlands.
AJH Prevo
Affiliation:
University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Get access

Abstract

The cognitive status of 168 Dutch young adults (103 females, 65 males; mean age 20 years 9 months, age range 16 to 25 years) with spina bifida (SB) was examined. The main purpose was to establish the effect of the type of SB (occulta or aperta) and the effect of hydrocephalus (HC) within the group with SB aperta (AHC+). Results indicated, on average, a lower cognitive status of persons with AHC+ (n=111) than of persons with SB occulta (n=37) and of persons with SB aperta without HC (AHC– ; n=20). Almost half the young adults with AHC+ had cognitive impairments of some sort. These included more domain specific impairments (70%) as well as a more general cognitive deficit (30%). Cognitive status of persons with SB occulta and of those with AHC– was similar to that in the healthy population. The presence of associated pathology, rather than SB per se, has a negative effect on cognitive status.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology , Volume 45 , Issue 12 , December 2003 , pp. 813 - 820
Copyright
© 2003 Mac Keith Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)