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. 2023 Sep 20;13(9):1348.
doi: 10.3390/brainsci13091348.

Visual Function and Neuropsychological Profiling of Idiopathic Infantile Nystagmus

Federica Morelli  1   2 , Guido Catalano  1 , Ilaria Scognamillo  1 , Nicolò Balzarotti  3 , Antonella Luparia  2 , Lucrezia Olivier  2 , Chiara Bertone  4 , Monica Gori  3 , Sabrina Signorini  2
Affiliations

Visual Function and Neuropsychological Profiling of Idiopathic Infantile Nystagmus

Federica Morelli et al. Brain Sci. .

Abstract

Though considered a benign condition, idiopathic infantile nystagmus (IIN) may be associated with decreased visual acuity and oculo-motor abnormalities, resulting in developmental delays and poor academic performance. Nevertheless, the specific visual function profile of IIN and its possible impact on neuropsychological development have been poorly investigated. To fill this gap, we retrospectively collected the clinical data of 60 children presenting with IIN over a 10-year period (43 male; mean age of 7 years, range of 2 months-17 years, 9 months). The majority of the subjects in our cohort presented with reduced visual acuity for far distances and normal visual acuity for near distances, associated with oculo-motor abnormalities. The overall scores of cognitive and visual-cognitive tests were in the normal range, but revealed peculiar cognitive and visual-cognitive profiles, defined by specific frailties in processing speed and visual-motor integration. The same neuropsychological profiles characterize many neurodevelopmental disorders and may express a transnosographic vulnerability of the dorsal stream. As the first study to explore the neuropsychologic competencies in children with IIN, our study unveils the presence of subclinical frailties that need to be addressed to sustain academic and social inclusion.

Keywords: Beery-VMI; WISC-IV; dorsal stream vulnerability; idiopathic infantile nystagmus; neurodevelopment; vision; visual impairment; visual–motor integration.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart presenting the selection process for neuropsychological assessment. WPPSI-III and IV: Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence, third and fourth edition. WISC-IV: Wechsler intelligence scale for children, fourth edition. WAIS-IV: Wechsler adult intelligence scale, fourth edition. Beery-VMI: Beery developmental test of visual–motor integration. DTVP: developmental test for visual perception.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Beery-VMI tasks. Left to right: visual–motor integration (VMI), motor coordination (VMI-M), and visual perception (VMI-V). The VMI task requires the imitation and copying of a developmentally sequential series of geometric forms. In VMI-M, the subject is asked to trace the stimulus shape with a pencil without leaving the edges of the printed path. In the VMI-V task, the subject is asked to recognize the stimulus between similar choices.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Graphic representation of IQ profile distribution of WISC-IV testing. W_VCI: verbal comprehension index. W_PRI: perceptual reasoning index. W_WMI: working memory index. W_PSI: processing speed index. W_IQ: intelligence quotient. Blue lines highlight the significance level of differences between indices.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Beery-VMI profile distribution; (b) DTVP profile distribution. Blue lines highlight the significance level of differences between indices.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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