Meeting Banner
Abstract #0906

Long Range White Matter Connectivity Deficit in Pediatric Cerebral Palsy

Zoe A. Englander1, Anastasiya Batrachenko1, Carolyn E. Pizoli, 12, Christopher M. Petty1, Jessica Sun2, 3, Mohamad A. Mikati2, Joanne Kurtzberg4, 5, Allen W. Song1

1Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; 2Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; 3The Robertson Cell and Translational Therapy Center, Duke University, Durham , NC, United States; 4The Robertson Cell and Translational Therapy Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; 5Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham , NC, United States

We performed a whole brain white matter connectivity analysis in 18 pediatric patients with bilateral Cerebral Palsy (CP) in order to examine patterns of global white matter deficit. The relationship between white matter connectivity deficit and clinical disease severity was assessed. It was found that long range connectivities were increasingly impaired with increasing CP severity. Of individuals who qualified for cognitive assessment, those with lower cognitive scores showed more severe decreases in long range connectivity than did individuals with higher cognitive scores, suggesting a possible mechanism for the developmental delay and cognitive deficits that accompany sensorimotor dysfunctions in CP.

Abstract PDF Poster PDF

Keywords

accompany acquisition addition aims although anatomically apparent application assess assessment atlas audience bilateral blue brain category caused cell cerebral circuitry circuits classified classify clinical clinicians cognitive components connectivities connectivity consistent consistently contributing corrected correlated correlation cortical counted decreased decreases deficit deficits defined deformation delay delayed delays depict depicts development developmental diffuse diffusion disability disease disorders duke edges englander expected explaining feature fiber fibers finding focal front ganglia global heterogeneous hypothesized impaired impairment impairments increasing individual individuals injury inter knowledge literature long mapper mapping matrix measured metric motor mutual neurology newborn node nodes normalized north noting observations overall pair pairs palsy patient patients patterns pediatric petty play predominant previously primary proportional qualified quantification rank reduced reduction regional related relation reported reports resolution restricted role sanders scanner score scores selective severe severity short significantly song space specifically structural subsequently suggesting supplemental target template tensor therapy throughout toolkit translational volume warped white whole worth