Subtle Motor Signs and Executive Functioning in Chronic Paediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Brief Report

ABSTRACT

Background: Children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are reported to have persistent deficits in executive functioning and subtle motor functions

Aim: This study examined the relationship between subtle motor signs and executive functioning in children with TBI

Methods: Eighteen children aged 13–18 years with mild to severe TBI at least one year before study participation and 16 age-matched typically-developing controls were examined using the Revised Physical and Neurological Examination of Subtle Signs (PANESS), a simplified Go/No-go task, portions of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Verbal Fluency and Trail Making tests, and a Wechsler Coding test

Results: There were significant associations between PANESS scores and executive functioning measures in children with TBI but not in controls. Conclusion: Results suggest that assessment of subtle motor signs may provide broader information regarding functioning after pediatric TBI.

KEYWORDS:

• Traumatic brain injury
• subtle motor function
• PANESS
• pediatric
• executive function

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health [S.S: K23HD06161, UL1TR001079-04, K12 HD001097, R01 HD090266, and EMM: U54 HD079123].