Brain lesion scores obtained using a simple semi-quantitative scale from MR imaging are associated with motor function, communication and cognition in dyskinetic cerebral palsy

Altres ajuts: This work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación , by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and by Generalitat de Catalunya. Roslyn Boyd is supported by a NHMRC Research Fellowship. Olga Laporta received a research grant from Ministerio de educación, cultura y deporte of the government of Spain and an Endeavour research Fellowship by the Australian Government (grant code 5240). Lee Reid and Alex Pagnozzi each are supported by an Advance Queensland Research Fellowship. To characterise brain lesions in dyskinetic cerebral palsy (DCP) using the semi-quantitative scale for structural MRI (sqMRI) and to investigate their relationship with motor, communication and cognitive function. Thirty-nine participants (19 females, median age 21y) with DCP were assessed in terms of motor function, communication and a variety of cognitive domains. Whole-head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed including T1-MPRAGE, T2 turbo spin echo (axial plane), and fluid attenuated inversion recovery images (FLAIR). A child neurologist visually assessed images for brain lesions and scored these using the sqMRI. Ordinal, Poisson and binomial negative regression models identified which brain lesions accounted for clinical outcomes. Brain lesions were most frequently located in the ventral posterior lateral thalamus and the frontal lobe. Gross (B = 0.180, p < .001; B = 0.658, p < .001) and fine (B = 0.136, p = .003; B = 0.540, p < .001) motor function were associated with global sqMRI score and parietal involvement. Communication functioning was associated with putamen involvement (B = 0.747, p < .028). Intellectual functioning was associated with global sqMRI score and posterior thalamus involvement (B = −0.018, p < .001; B = −0.192, p < .001). Selective attention was associated with global sqMRI score (B = −0.035, p < .001), parietal (B = −0.063, p = .023), and corpus callosum involvement (B = −0.448, p < .001). Visuospatial and visuoperceptive abilities were associated with global sqMRI score (B = −0.078, p = .007) and medial dorsal thalamus involvement (B = −0.139, p < .012), respectively. Key clinical outcomes in DCP are associated with specific observable brain lesions as indexed by a simple lesion scoring system that relies only on standard clinical MRI.