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EXAMINER Executive Function Battery and Neurologic Morbidity in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2013

Jeffrey Schatz ,
Melita Stancil ,
Tal Katz  and
Carmen E. Sanchez
Jeffrey Schatz*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Melita Stancil
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Tal Katz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Carmen E. Sanchez
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Jeffrey Schatz, Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, 1512 Pendleton Street, Columbia, SC 29205. E-mail: schatz@sc.edu
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Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is blood disorder with a high risk for cerebral vascular morbidities that impact neurocognitive functioning. Specific cognitive abilities are known to be more sensitive to neurologic effects of SCD than IQ scores, yet there is little consensus about which measures to use to assess neurocognitive functioning. We evaluated the ability of the Executive Abilities: Methods and Instruments for Neurobehavioral Evaluation and Research (EXAMINER) Battery to detect neurologic effects in SCD. Thirty-two youth with SCD and sixty demographically-matched comparison youth completed the EXAMINER Battery and selected tests from the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability, 3rd edition (WJ-III). Neurologic severity was examined via clinical history for morbidities and midsagittal corpus callosum (CC) area. Results indicated cognitive performance decreased with increasing neurologic morbidity across all cognitive measures; two of four EXAMINER factors were related to CC area. The association with clinical history and midsagittal CC area appeared at least as large for the Examiner Battery scores as for the WJ-III measures. The Examiner Battery showed sensitivity to neurologic history and white matter effects in SCD; this new measure compares favorably to established measures of disease-related neurocognitive effects, but would benefit from further development. (JINS, 2014, 1, 1–12)

Keywords

AnemiaSickle cellChildAdolescentCerebrovascular disordersNeuropsychologic testsImagingMagnetic resonance
Type
Special Series
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , January 2014 , pp. 29 - 40
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2013 

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