Neuro-imaging characteristics of sensory impairment in cerebral palsy; a systematic review.
A C S Knijnenburg, C V M Steinbusch, Y J M Janssen-Potten and 2 others
PMID 37009398WHAT IT FOUND
Children with cerebral palsy and cortical brain lesions have significantly worse touch and object recognition than those with white matter lesions.
Sensory reorganization to the other brain hemisphere does not improve function. Lesion location and extent, not just motor damage, predict sensory deficits.
Key findings
01Patients with cortical (MCA) lesions have more severe deficits in two-point discrimination, stereognosis, and graphesthesia compared to patients with white matter (PVL) lesions.
02Interhemispheric reorganization of the sensory system is associated with severe sensory deficits and does not effectively compensate for impairment.
03Lesion extent, location, and integrity of ascending sensory tracts significantly impact sensory function, independent of motor tract wiring.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
High variability in sensory test batteries and protocols across the included studies prevented a meta-analysis. Many studies included children with mild impairments, potentially underestimating the prevalence of severe sensory deficits. Overlapping participants from the same research groups were included, which may inflate the apparent evidence base. The review included young adults, which may limit generalizability to younger children.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret brain reorganization as a positive adaptive mechanism. The review found that when the sensory system reorganized to the opposite hemisphere, it was associated with more severe deficits, not improved function.