Hippocampal Volume and Memory Function in Patients with Infantile Treated Pediatric Hydrocephalus
Poster No:
833
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Renee-Marie Ragguett1, Lili Meng1, Derya Adil1, Roy Eagleson1, Sandrine de Ribaupierre1
Institutions:
1Western University, London, Ontario
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Introduction:
Infantile pediatric hydrocephalus (PH) is a condition characterized by an abnormal increase in the cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles in the first 2 years of life. Once treated, the ventricular volume might decrease, however, structural changes around the ventricles persists (Mandell, 2015; Ragguett, 2024; Adil, 2024). The hippocampus is a periventricular structure implicated in learning and memory. Studies in healthy, typically developing children have demonstrated, hippocampal volume is positively associated with performance on memory tasks (Botdorf, 2022). This has not been explored in children with PH, who have been shown to present with deficits in memory compared to healthy controls (Vachha, 2005). This study compared hippocampal volume between children with PH and healthy controls and explored if hippocampal volume predicts cognitive performance on memory tasks.
Methods:
Participants: Sixty-one participants were screened for inclusion - 21 patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunt treated PH (8 females [38.1%], age x̄±σ = 9.02 ±2.16 years) and 40 healthy controls (18 females [45%], age x̄±σ = 8.92 ±1.94 years). Participants were included if they completed an anatomical T1 scan, neuropsychological testing, and were under the age of 13.
Neuropsychological Assessments: Participants completed a battery including the Mr. Peanut task, a short-term memory task which involves recalling the placement of a coloured spot on a figure (De Ribaupierre, 2000).
Image Acquisition: An anatomical T1 image was obtained with rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) sequence.
Image Processing: Volumetric analysis was completed in a semi automatic fashion. The recon-all command by FreeSurfer produced a segmentation of the hippocampus (Fischl, 2012). Manual adjustments were completed and verified by an expert and volumes were calculated. Intracranial volume was also recorded for normalization of hippocampal volumes.
Statistical Analysis: Differences between groups were assessed using a 2 tailed t-test. To assess the relationship between hippocampal volume and memory, a multiple regression was used. Hippocampal volumes were corrected based on age and intracranial volume using an analysis of covariance approach as outlined in the literature (Botdorf, 2022). All reported hippocampal volume statistics were corrected.
Neuropsychological Assessments: Participants completed a battery including the Mr. Peanut task, a short-term memory task which involves recalling the placement of a coloured spot on a figure (De Ribaupierre, 2000).
Image Acquisition: An anatomical T1 image was obtained with rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) sequence.
Image Processing: Volumetric analysis was completed in a semi automatic fashion. The recon-all command by FreeSurfer produced a segmentation of the hippocampus (Fischl, 2012). Manual adjustments were completed and verified by an expert and volumes were calculated. Intracranial volume was also recorded for normalization of hippocampal volumes.
Statistical Analysis: Differences between groups were assessed using a 2 tailed t-test. To assess the relationship between hippocampal volume and memory, a multiple regression was used. Hippocampal volumes were corrected based on age and intracranial volume using an analysis of covariance approach as outlined in the literature (Botdorf, 2022). All reported hippocampal volume statistics were corrected.
Results:
Demographics: Fifty-four participants were included in the study - 37 healthy controls (18 females [48.65%], age x̄±σ = 9.15 ±2.16 years) and 17 children with PH (8 females [47.06%], age x̄±σ = 9.49 ±1.55 years). There was no significant difference for age and sex between groups (p > 0.05).
Hippocampal Volumes: Healthy controls had a larger right, left, and total hippocampal volume compared to children with PH (Figure 1).
Short-term Memory Task: Healthy controls performed significantly better on the Mr. Peanut task (x̄±σ = 2.15±0.91) compared to children with PH (x̄±σ = 1.69±0.53, p = 0.02).
Relationship Between Hippocampal Volume and Memory: In the multiple regression model, the overall model was significant (adj R2 = 0.50, F(4, 49) = 14.48, p < 0.001). Further, a larger hippocampal volume (β = 1.71e-04, p = 0.05) predicted a greater Mr. Peanut score (Figure 2). The independent variables, sex, and whether the participants had PH, were not significant predictors of Mr. Peanut performance.
Hippocampal Volumes: Healthy controls had a larger right, left, and total hippocampal volume compared to children with PH (Figure 1).
Short-term Memory Task: Healthy controls performed significantly better on the Mr. Peanut task (x̄±σ = 2.15±0.91) compared to children with PH (x̄±σ = 1.69±0.53, p = 0.02).
Relationship Between Hippocampal Volume and Memory: In the multiple regression model, the overall model was significant (adj R2 = 0.50, F(4, 49) = 14.48, p < 0.001). Further, a larger hippocampal volume (β = 1.71e-04, p = 0.05) predicted a greater Mr. Peanut score (Figure 2). The independent variables, sex, and whether the participants had PH, were not significant predictors of Mr. Peanut performance.
·Figure 1: Hippocampus volume differences between healthy controls and children with hydrocephalus.
·Figure 2: Relationship between total hippocampus volume and Mr. Peanut score.
Conclusions:
Our study has demonstrated healthy controls have a greater hippocampal volume and perform better on memory tasks compared to children with PH. While greater hippocampal volume was a significant predictor of better short-term memory performance, whether a child had PH, was not a significant predictor. Our results agree with a recent meta-analysis in healthy children which demonstrated that greater hippocampal volume was associated with better performance on memory tasks (Botdorf, 2022). Our results add to a growing literature characterizing the cognitive deficits in PH patients post treatment.
Learning and Memory:
Learning and Memory Other 1
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
Segmentation and Parcellation
Other Methods
Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Metabolism and Neurotransmission:
Subcortical Structures 2
Neuroanatomy Other
Keywords:
Cognition
Memory
PEDIATRIC
STRUCTURAL MRI
Other - hydrocephalus; hippocampus; volumetric analysis
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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Were any human subjects research approved by the relevant Institutional Review Board or ethics panel? NOTE: Any human subjects studies without IRB approval will be automatically rejected.
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Provide references using APA citation style.
Botdorf, M., Canada, K. L., & Riggins, T. (2022). A meta‐analysis of the relation between hippocampal volume and memory ability in typically developing children and adolescents. Hippocampus, 32(5), 386-400.
De Ribaupierre, A., & Bailleux, C. (2000). The development of working memory: Further note on the comparability of two models of working memory. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 77(2), 110-127.
Fischl, B. (2012). FreeSurfer. Neuroimage, 62(2), 774-781.
Mandell, J. G., Kulkarni, A. V., Warf, B. C., & Schiff, S. J. (2015). Volumetric brain analysis in neurosurgery: Part 2. Brain and CSF volumes discriminate neurocognitive outcomes in hydrocephalus. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, 15(2), 125-132.
Ragguett, R. M., Eagleson, R., & de Ribaupierre, S. (2024). Association between altered white matter networks and post operative ventricle volume in shunt-treated pediatric hydrocephalus. Brain Research Bulletin, 206, 110847.
Vachha, B., & Adams, R. C. (2005). Memory and selective learning in children with spina bifida-myelomeningocele and shunted hydrocephalus: A preliminary study. Cerebrospinal Fluid Research, 2, 1-7.