Article

The aim of this study was to determine whether volitional saccadic
impairments are present in children with mild closed head injury (mCHI) and
whether these deficits are predictive of ongoing cognitive impairment. METHOD: We
analysed a sample of 26 children with mCHI (20 males, 6 females; mean age 13y
1mo, SD 2y) and 29 age-matched comparison children (20 males, 9 females; mean age
12y 2mo, SD 2y). Participants completed a battery of saccadic eye movement tasks
and a set of computer-based cognitive tasks at three time points: within 2 weeks
of mCHI, and at 3 months and 6 months. RESULTS: The group with mCHI made fewer
errors on the antisaccade task at the first time point and showed increased
latencies on prosaccades, correct antisaccades, and corrected antisaccade errors
at the third time point (6mo). The group with mCHI also showed poorer performance
on the cognitive tasks assessing memory. INTERPRETATION: Even very mild,
uncomplicated mCHI in children may persistently affect aspects of executive
control and visual processing.
CI - (c) 2013 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS