LEARNING DISABILITIES IN CHILDREN WITH NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1.

Abstract

The aim of these studies was to characterize the types of learning disabilities affecting children with neurofibromatosis type I and develop methods capable of identifYing brain abnormalities underlying these learning disabilities. We hypothesized that NF-I gene mutations are associated with a failure in growth control and proliferation which especially affect the function ofthe right hemisphere.

We designed three different studies. The first study was a sibling controlled study to characterize the psychological profile associated with NF-I gene mutations. We recruited II school-aged sibling pairs; II NF-I patients (8 males and 3 females; Mean age± SD = 10.94 ±2.41 yrs.) with no brain tumors but optic glioma and II of their normal siblings (6 males & 5 females; Mean Age± SD = 10.67 ± 2.86 yrs.). The psychological performance of all children were assessed by the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III), Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R), Judgment of Line Orientation Test (JOLO), Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI), and the Vigilance subtest of the Gordon Diagnostic •System (GDS).