Language disrder in families with Perisylvian Syndome

Author(s)

Ecila Paula dos Mesquita de Oliveira

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas
• Defense date: 2006-08-18

Examining board members

Marilisa Mantovani Guerreiro; Vera Lucia Garcia; Simone Aparecida Capellini

• Advisor: Marilisa Mantovani Guerreiro

Abstract

Specific language impairment (SLI) refers to inadequate language development in a child without other development disorder, that is, inadequate language acquisition is the main difficulty, even if the child may present with other symptoms. SLI may occur in patients who have polymicrogyria around Sylvian fissure on neuroimaging studies (perisylvian syndrome). The aim of this study was to investigate family members of children with perisylvian syndrome and characterize the linguistic profile found in those families. We selected three families with perisylvian syndrome. Patients underwent a psychological assessment and a comprehensive phonologic evaluation (audiologic evaluation and language evaluation). This study found that SLI and reading/writing impaiment may co-occur in different members of the same family; our data showed that children with perisylvian syndrome present mostly with SLI while adults with perisylvian syndrome present mostly with reading/writing impairment; our results confirmed that clinical picture is correlated with the extent of cerebral involvement; and finally, MRI imaging is indicated when a child has SLI and pseudobulbar signs (AU)