1561 PSYCHIATRIC SEQUELAE OF LOCALIZED CORTICAL INJURY IN CHILDREN

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that localized cortical damage is associated with specific forms of psychiatric disorder, 54 children with unilateral compound depressed head fractures hospitalized in Great Britain were examined and their parents and teachers interviewed. Children were categorized into four groups by site of dural tear as determined from surgical records. Psychiatric disorder was measured by four symptom scales derived from psychiatrist, parents' and teachers' questionnaires.There were no significant associations between hyperactivity, conduct disorder and other emotional disorders and site of injury or hemisphere. Children with right frontal and left posterior injuries had significantly more severe depressive symptoms than those injured at other sites (F=3.65 p=.02). The contrast between the right frontal-leftposterior and left frontal-right posterior groups remained significant after the effects of social disadvantage, age at injury, age at examination and parental history of psychiatric disorder were controlled in a multiple regression analysis.The general lack of association between locus of injury and form of psychiatric disorder suggests that the effect of localized damage is not marked. The depression results, however, are supported by neurophysiological findings and indicate that damage to a specific site can result in a specific type of disorder.