The 10-Word Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Vocabulary Performance in 4-and 5-Year-Old Children

Background: Understanding the different factors that determine vocabuladevelopment in young children is essential for the diagnosis and rehabilitaof language disorders in children. Language development is closely related other cognitive processes such as auditory verbal learning and memory. research focuses on the development of a novel auditory verbal learning (AVLT) for 4-and 5-year-old children within the Dutch population. This new is an adaptation of the common AVLT for both older children and adults, uincluding a list of 15 words. Considering the lower attention span and liexecutive functioning in young children, the word list of this new instrumereduced to 10 words. Besides, a second recognition form has been develto improve the ability to distinguish between possible underlying learning memory deficits. Method: Ninety-five preschool children (ages 4;0–5;12 [years;months]) wetested with this new AVLT 10-word test for kids (10WT-K), yielding diffmeasures of verbal auditory memory. Forty-eight of 95 children received a ognition task with semantically unrelated items, and 47 of 95 received a renition task with semantically related items. Three additional language skills assessed to establish test validation: receptive and expressive vocabulary formance and nonword repetition. Outcome of the 10WT-K was related scores on the language measures. Results: Positive correlations were found between the total score of the 10Wand all three aforementioned language skills. We found no correlations betwfrequency of error types (intrusions and repetitions) and language measures. thermore, children who were administered the recognition list with semanticrelated items showed fewer correct answers and more false-positive and fanegative responses than children who received a recognition list with semantiunrelated items. Conclusions: The 10WT-K for young children can be used to (a) measure dent aspects of auditory verbal learning and memory, (b) clarify the natupossible verbal learning difficulties, and (c) identify a possible nature of guage disorders. The word recognition task tested with semantically relaitems provides a more accurate measurement of individual differences, namin distinguishing retrieval and storage abilities. The significant relation fobetween auditory verbal short-term memory capacity and vocabulary perfmance in preschool children is a first step toward establishing test validity.</p

Association of 1800 cGy cranial irradiation with intellectual function in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Cranial radiation therapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia has been associated with adverse neuropsychological effects, such as low intelligence. However, records show that these associations usually occur when the dose of radiation used is 2400 cGy. We investigated whether a lower dose of 1800 cGy had the same adverse effects on long-term survivors and whether high doses of methotrexate but no radiation therapy would have a more beneficial effect. We evaluated 203 children for six years in a multi-centre European study. The patients were divided into two groups: 129 children treated with 1800 cGy of cranial radiation therapy and 74 children who received high-dose methotrexate but no radiation therapy. We used full scale intelligence quotient, verbal, and performance IQ tests to assess the patient's intelligence. We found a significant decline in full scale intelligence quotient in the irradiated group that increased with the length of time from diagnosis. Younger age at diagnosis was associated with lower full scale intelligence quotient in the radiated group. Our results indicate that a radiation dose of 1800 cGy can have negative effects on neurocognitive function and we continue to question the benefit of low-dose cranial radiation therapy

The 10-Word Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Vocabulary Performance in 4-and 5-Year-Old Children

Background: Understanding the different factors that determine vocabuladevelopment in young children is essential for the diagnosis and rehabilitaof language disorders in children. Language development is closely related other cognitive processes such as auditory verbal learning and memory. research focuses on the development of a novel auditory verbal learning (AVLT) for 4-and 5-year-old children within the Dutch population. This new is an adaptation of the common AVLT for both older children and adults, uincluding a list of 15 words. Considering the lower attention span and liexecutive functioning in young children, the word list of this new instrumereduced to 10 words. Besides, a second recognition form has been develto improve the ability to distinguish between possible underlying learning memory deficits. Method: Ninety-five preschool children (ages 4;0–5;12 [years;months]) wetested with this new AVLT 10-word test for kids (10WT-K), yielding diffmeasures of verbal auditory memory. Forty-eight of 95 children received a ognition task with semantically unrelated items, and 47 of 95 received a renition task with semantically related items. Three additional language skills assessed to establish test validation: receptive and expressive vocabulary formance and nonword repetition. Outcome of the 10WT-K was related scores on the language measures. Results: Positive correlations were found between the total score of the 10Wand all three aforementioned language skills. We found no correlations betwfrequency of error types (intrusions and repetitions) and language measures. thermore, children who were administered the recognition list with semanticrelated items showed fewer correct answers and more false-positive and fanegative responses than children who received a recognition list with semantiunrelated items. Conclusions: The 10WT-K for young children can be used to (a) measure dent aspects of auditory verbal learning and memory, (b) clarify the natupossible verbal learning difficulties, and (c) identify a possible nature of guage disorders. The word recognition task tested with semantically relaitems provides a more accurate measurement of individual differences, namin distinguishing retrieval and storage abilities. The significant relation fobetween auditory verbal short-term memory capacity and vocabulary perfmance in preschool children is a first step toward establishing test validity.</p

Experimental Chemotherapy in Children with Cancer—A Parent's View

Parental attitude and the parents' perceptions of a child's responsibilities were measured by mailing a questionnaire to 156 parents of cured children of the Pediatric Oncology Center, University of Groningen. Simplistically, the questionnaire concerned parental judgment on (1) the role of the child in decisions about experimental therapy, (2) what information should be related to the child and by whom, (3) parental attitudes toward experimental therapy, and (4) the parents' opinions about ethical aspects of proposing experimental therapy. A high response rate (87.8%) mas achieved. A majority of the respondents would allow a child take responsibility in deciding about experimental therapy. In their opinion the median age (16 years) at which a child should be allowed to give consent was higher than the median age (12 years) at which a child should merely be involved in the decision. Parents were more likely to overrule the child's decision if the child decided against experimental therapy than if the child chose the therapy (p < 0.001). Parents found it more difficult to talk about death than about experimental therapy, and parents would be more willing to involve the physician in discussing experimental therapy than in discussing imminent death with a child (p < 0.001). Many respondents (68%) felt that the child should be given both altruistic reasons and reasons of self-interest for participating in experimental therapy. About half of all of the respondents believed that a pediatric oncologist should always advise experimental therapy for the benefit of similarly afflicted patients

Characterising the Long-Term Language Impairments of Children Following Cerebellar Tumour Surgery by Extracting Psycholinguistic Properties from Spontaneous Language

Following cerebellar tumour surgery, children may suffer impairments of spontaneous language. Yet, the language processing deficits underlying these impairments are poorly understood. This study is the first to try to identify these deficits for four levels of language processing in cerebellar tumour survivors. The spontaneous language of twelve patients who underwent cerebellar tumour surgery (age range 3-24 years) was compared against his or her controls using individual case statistics. A distinction was made between patients who experienced postoperative cerebellar mutism syndrome (pCMS) and those who did not. Time since surgery ranged between 11 months and 12;3 years. In order to identify the impaired language processing levels at each processing level (i.e., lexical, semantic, phonological and/or morphosyntactic) nouns and verbs produced in the spontaneous language samples were rated for psycholinguistic variables (e.g., concreteness). Standard spontaneous language measures (e.g., type-token ratio) were calculated as well. First, inter-individual heterogeneity was observed in the spontaneous language outcomes in both groups. Nine out of twelve patients showed language processing deficits three of whom were diagnosed with pCMS. Results implied impairments across all levels of language processing. In the pCMS-group, the impairments observed were predominantly morphosyntactic and semantic, but the variability in nature of the spontaneous language impairments was larger in the non-pCMS-group. Patients treated with cerebellar tumour surgery may show long-term spontaneous language impairments irrespective of a previous pCMS diagnosis. Individualised and comprehensive postoperative language assessments seem necessary, given the inter-individual heterogeneity in the language outcomes.</p

Characterising the Long-Term Language Impairments of Children Following Cerebellar Tumour Surgery by Extracting Psycholinguistic Properties from Spontaneous Language

Following cerebellar tumour surgery, children may suffer impairments of spontaneous language. Yet, the language processing deficits underlying these impairments are poorly understood. This study is the first to try to identify these deficits for four levels of language processing in cerebellar tumour survivors. The spontaneous language of twelve patients who underwent cerebellar tumour surgery (age range 3-24 years) was compared against his or her controls using individual case statistics. A distinction was made between patients who experienced postoperative cerebellar mutism syndrome (pCMS) and those who did not. Time since surgery ranged between 11 months and 12;3 years. In order to identify the impaired language processing levels at each processing level (i.e., lexical, semantic, phonological and/or morphosyntactic) nouns and verbs produced in the spontaneous language samples were rated for psycholinguistic variables (e.g., concreteness). Standard spontaneous language measures (e.g., type-token ratio) were calculated as well. First, inter-individual heterogeneity was observed in the spontaneous language outcomes in both groups. Nine out of twelve patients showed language processing deficits three of whom were diagnosed with pCMS. Results implied impairments across all levels of language processing. In the pCMS-group, the impairments observed were predominantly morphosyntactic and semantic, but the variability in nature of the spontaneous language impairments was larger in the non-pCMS-group. Patients treated with cerebellar tumour surgery may show long-term spontaneous language impairments irrespective of a previous pCMS diagnosis. Individualised and comprehensive postoperative language assessments seem necessary, given the inter-individual heterogeneity in the language outcomes.</p

Characterising the Long-Term Language Impairments of Children Following Cerebellar Tumour Surgery by Extracting Psycholinguistic Properties from Spontaneous Language

Following cerebellar tumour surgery, children may suffer impairments of spontaneous language. Yet, the language processing deficits underlying these impairments are poorly understood. This study is the first to try to identify these deficits for four levels of language processing in cerebellar tumour survivors. The spontaneous language of twelve patients who underwent cerebellar tumour surgery (age range 3–24 years) was compared against his or her controls using individual case statistics. A distinction was made between patients who experienced postoperative cerebellar mutism syndrome (pCMS) and those who did not. Time since surgery ranged between 11 months and 12;3 years. In order to identify the impaired language processing levels at each processing level (i.e., lexical, semantic, phonological and/or morphosyntactic) nouns and verbs produced in the spontaneous language samples were rated for psycholinguistic variables (e.g., concreteness). Standard spontaneous language measures (e.g., type-token ratio) were calculated as well. First, inter-individual heterogeneity was observed in the spontaneous language outcomes in both groups. Nine out of twelve patients showed language processing deficits three of whom were diagnosed with pCMS. Results implied impairments across all levels of language processing. In the pCMS-group, the impairments observed were predominantly morphosyntactic and semantic, but the variability in nature of the spontaneous language impairments was larger in the non-pCMS-group. Patients treated with cerebellar tumour surgery may show long-term spontaneous language impairments irrespective of a previous pCMS diagnosis. Individualised and comprehensive postoperative language assessments seem necessary, given the inter-individual heterogeneity in the language outcomes

Association of 1800 cGy cranial irradiation with intellectual function in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

textabstractCranial radiation therapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia has been associated with adverse neuropsychological effects, such as low intelligence. However, records show that these associations usually occur when the dose of radiation used is 2400 cGy. We investigated whether a lower dose of 1800 cGy had the same adverse effects on long-term survivors and whether high doses of methotrexate but no radiation therapy would have a more beneficial effect. We evaluated 203 children for six years in a multi-centre European study. The patients were divided into two groups: 129 children treated with 1800 cGy of cranial radiation therapy and 74 children who received high-dose methotrexate but no radiation therapy. We used full scale intelligence quotient, verbal, and performance IQ tests to assess the patient's intelligence. We found a significant decline in full scale intelligence quotient in the irradiated group that increased with the length of time from diagnosis. Younger age at diagnosis was associated with lower full scale intelligence quotient in the radiated group. Our results indicate that a radiation dose of 1800 cGy can have negative effects on neurocognitive function and we continue to question the benefit of low-dose cranial radiation therapy

Brain function in classic galactosemia, a galactosemia network (GalNet) members review.

Classic galactosemia (CG, OMIM #230400, ORPHA: 79,239) is a hereditary disorder of galactose metabolism that, despite treatment with galactose restriction, affects brain function in 85% of the patients. Problems with cognitive function, neuropsychological/social emotional difficulties, neurological symptoms, and abnormalities in neuroimaging and electrophysiological assessments are frequently reported in this group of patients, with an enormous individual variability. In this review, we describe the role of impaired galactose metabolism on brain dysfunction based on state of the art knowledge. Several proposed disease mechanisms are discussed, as well as the time of damage and potential treatment options. Furthermore, we combine data from longitudinal, cross-sectional and retrospective studies with the observations of specialist teams treating this disease to depict the brain disease course over time. Based on current data and insights, the majority of patients do not exhibit cognitive decline. A subset of patients, often with early onset cerebral and cerebellar volume loss, can nevertheless experience neurological worsening. While a large number of patients with CG suffer from anxiety and depression, the increased complaints about memory loss, anxiety and depression at an older age are likely multifactorial in origin