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Cognitive status of young adults with spina bifida

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2003

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.
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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
Copyright
© 2003 Mac Keith Press

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