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Effects of unilateral clefts on brain structure
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Effects of unilateral clefts on brain structure

Ellen van der Plas, Amy Conrad, John Canady, Lynn Richman and Peg Nopoulos
Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, Vol.164(8), pp.763-768
08/2010
DOI: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.123
PMCID: PMC3612276
PMID: 20679168
url
https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.123View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

To evaluate potential abnormalities in brain structure of children and adolescents with unilateral clefts. Case-control study. Tertiary care center. Boys aged 7 to 17 years with right (n=14) and left (n=19) clefts were compared with healthy age-matched boys (n=57). Structural brain measures were obtained using magnetic resonance imaging. It was explored whether laterality of clefts had a significant effect on brain structure. To this end, volumes of tissue types and various brain regions were evaluated. Total white matter was significantly lower in boys with right clefts compared with boys with left clefts and healthy boys. Gross regional analyses demonstrated that reductions in white matter were evident in both the cerebellum and the cerebrum in boys with right clefts. Furthermore, within the cerebrum, white matter volumes were particularly low in the frontal lobes and the occipital lobes. These preliminary results suggest that right clefts may be associated with more abnormalities in brain structure. More generally, laterality of a birth defect may have a significant effect on a developing organism.
 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Abnormalities, Multiple - diagnosis Humans Adolescent Cleft Palate - complications Male Brain - abnormalities Cleft Lip - complications Child Case-Control Studies

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