Inhibition of return is a bias in attention that
reduces the likelihood of returning attention to previously
viewed locations. This attention bias develops during the
first 6 months of life and is putatively mediated by midbrain
structures. The present study evaluated the effects of
perinatal lesions on the development of inhibition of return.
Thirty-three children with perinatal injury resulting in
spastic diplegic cerebral palsy were grouped based on magnetic
resonance exams. Children with anterior (n = 5),
posterior (n = 12), diffuse (n = 8),
or no apparent (n = 8) lesions were compared with
a group of age-matched children without neurologic injury
(n = 39) on an orienting task designed to elicit
inhibition of return. Short-delay trials demonstrated grossly
intact facilitation of attention for all groups. Long-delay
trials that produced inhibition of return in the control
and posterior injury groups indicated a disruption of inhibition
of return in the groups with anterior and diffuse lesions.
The findings are consistent with previous reports that
anterior regions are important for the developing attention
system, and that bilateral injury can result in unilateral
disruption of visual attention. (JINS, 2001, 7,
275–284.)