| Objective To investigate the impact flat deformity of the cerebral cortex induced by congenital hydrocephalus on motor functioning and cognition. Methods Tomography was used to confirm the presence of flat cortex deformity in three congenital hydrocephalus patients ranging in age from 20 to 33. Their motor control, balance, cognition and ability in the activities of daily living (ADL) were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), the Berg balance scale (BBS), the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the modified Barthel index (MBI). Speech dysfunction was judged on the basis of clinical communication. The patients were scanned using a 64-slice spiral CT and size-of-ventricle indices were calculated. Results All 3 patients underwent ventrideperitoneal shunt. Their FMA scores were 75.5, 83 and 100, with BBS scores of 4, 24 and 56, MMSE scores of 14, 23 and 26, and the MBIs of 40, 90 and 100. CT images showed obvious ventricle enlargement and a thinner cortex layer in all three, with the thinnest part 0.18 cm, 0.22 cm and 0.57 cm. Their ventricle indexes were 303%, 288% and 192%, respectively. Conclusion Although there is no systematic rehabilitation therapy for such patients, their motor, cognition and speech functioning were good, indicating the great potential for plasticity of the human brain. |
