Neurocognitive Implications of Infantile Hydrocephalus: Findings from Functional Connectivity and Behavioural Measures

Poster Session C - Sunday, April 14, 2024, 5:00 – 7:00 pm EDT, Sheraton Hall ABC

Derya Adil¹ (dadil2@uwo.ca), Emma Duerden^1,2, Roy Eagleson^1,3, Sandrine de Ribaupierre^1,4; ¹Western Institute for Neuroscience, ²Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, ³Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, ⁴Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences

Infantile hydrocephalus is characterized by an atypical accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, especially in the posterior ventricular horns, diagnosed and treated before the age of 2 years. The direction of ventricular dilatation subjects the periventricular white matter and the posterior cortex to sustained compression and cortical thinning. This posterior affectation prompts an exploration into its effects on visuomotor functions. This study focuses on the impact of infantile hydrocephalus on functional connectivity within the posterior cortex, focusing on the visuomotor integration network, including the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus (visual processing for motor planning), superior longitudinal fasciculus (motor planning processes), and frontal aslant tract (execution of motor skills). By examining the feedback and feedforward methods within the visuomotor integration network, we gained a nuanced understanding of how infantile hydrocephalus disrupts these pathways. Fourteen patients, matched for age and sex with fourteen typically-developing controls, underwent resting-state functional MRI at an average age of 9 years. Results revealed reduced functional connectivity in visuomotor pathways among infantile hydrocephalus patients with pronounced implications for the left and right fusiform gyrus and precuneus. Patients also performed below average in tasks involving visuomotor integration, visual processing, motor coordination, and fine motor manipulation. The concurrent exploration of these domains offers a more holistic perspective on the neural and behavioural aspects of visuomotor integration in children with infantile hydrocephalus.

Topic Area: METHODS: Neuroimaging