| |
Abstract:
Abstract: What is the best way to predict language
development in children who have undergone hemispherectomy? In
order to address this question we studied a subject population
consisting of 37 children with well-defined etiologies who had
undergone hemispherectomy as a part of the UCLA Pediatric Epilepsy
Surgery Research Program. We concentrated our analysis on language
production. At the point of assessment all of our subjects were
expected to talk (i.e. 3 years or older). We studied those factors
that were reported to have predictive relationships to linguistic
outcome, such as the side of hemispherectomy, age at initial insult
and age at surgery, seizure control post-surgery and etiology
(developmental or acquired). In the course of our investigation we
realized that each of these factors was a reflection of the
functional state of brain maturation at time of damage.
Furthermore, it is the state of the remaining hemisphere that is a
crucial factor underlying language recovery or development. We
hypothesized that one way to assess the status of the remaining
hemisphere is to include an examination of motor function following
hemispherectomy. Motor function questionnaires evaluating leg, arm
and hand function on the side contralateral to the resected
hemisphere were administered. Our results confirm that motor
recovery provides a promising index of the neurological status of
the remaining hemisphere and subsequent language development.
However, it is also clear that motor and language domains are
separate and do not depend on each other.
|
