Neurocognitive functioning and magnetic resonance imaging in children with sickle cell disease.

OBJECTIVE To examine neurocognitive functioning in children classified with overt cerebral vascular accidents (CVAs), silent infarcts, or without central nervous system (CNS) pathology on magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS Participants were 63 children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). RESULTS Children with overt CVAs and silent infarcts differed from their peers without CNS pathology on measures of attention and executive functioning. CONCLUSIONS We consider these deficits the result of the high frequency of frontal lobe deficits incurred by children with SCD. Recommendations include the use of tests designed to measure attention and executive functioning as a way of screening children with SCD for possible CNS pathology. We also suggest that future research examine the mechanism underlying frontal lobe involvement for individuals with SCD.