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Biomedical subjects

R A Minns

Publications and source records attributed to R A Minns.

62 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Spina bifida and cerebral palsy.

A new test of posture and mobility has been applied to a small group of spina bifida children with different lower limb motor levels, and to a further group of children with both spina bifida and associated cerebral palsy of the hemiplegic type. It is demonstrated that this test of posture and mobility is applicable to spina bifida children and that gross motor handicap is therefore quantifiable. The posture and mobility scores of children with spina bifida or cerebral palsy is significantly less than those of normal children and the scores for children with both spina bifida as well as cerebral palsy is significantly lower than having either alone.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Monoamine metabolites and ventricular fluid pressure in children.

Samples of ventricular CSF were obtained from 20 children in whom ventricular fluid pressure was continuously monitored. The concentrations of the monoamine metabolites, 5-hydroxyindolylacetic acid, homovanillic acid and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, in the CSF were not related to the ventricular fluid pressure. The mean concentration of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol was higher (p less than 0.01) in 9 children aged 1 day to 6 months that in 12 children aged 8 months to 11 years.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cerebral atrophy following shaken impact syndrome and other non-accidental head injury (NAHI).

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To determine the frequency of cerebral atrophy and microcephaly in a group of children with sequential MRI brain scans after surviving a non-accidental head injury (n = 16). METHODS: Serial head circumference measurements (OFC) were extracted and plotted on standard growth charts for each child retrospectively to determine the frequency of secondary microcephaly. Cerebral atrophy was diagnosed and quantified by measurement of the ventricular/cortical ratio on coronal images of the sequential scans. RESULTS: Acquired microcephaly was found in 15 children (93.8%) over a median follow-up period of 67.93 weeks. There was a significant reduction in the median Z-score for the OFC at the most recent follow-up when compared with that at presentation (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test). Cerebral atrophy was found to be the cause of the microcephaly in eight of the 15 children and was evident as early as 9 days after presentation. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of the cohort (93.8%) develops acquired microcephaly after an inflicted head injury and cerebral atrophy is responsible in half of these cases.

Atrophy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Asymmetry of gait in normal children demonstrated by polarized light goniometry.

Polarized light goniometry recordings were obtained from 46 neurologically normal children aged 4--15 years. Asymmetry in terms of thigh and knee angle differences between right and left legs was common in children aged less than 10 years but uncommon in children aged more than 10 years. This asymmetry was predominantly in the direction of more flexion on the right side. The tendency for goniometric asymmetry to mirror asymmetry on clinical examination was slight and did not reach statistical significance. It is suggested that angular asymmetry during gait which occurs in some children under 10 years of age may be related to unequal rates of maturation of the two hemispheres. Other minor neurological asymmetries, neuro-anatomical asymmetries nd postural asymmetries which may be found in normal children are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A study of normal baby movements.

Twenty-five normal newborns aged between 3 and 6 days had their movements recorded by clinical observation in a controlled environment, chart recording from an automatic movement mattress over 4 hours, and cine photography triggered by the movement mattress. Over 80 different individual types of movement were grouped into six categories: progression movements (obligatory reciprocal movements), symmetrical movements (slower flexion or extension movements), startle movements, asymmetrical tonic neck reflex and 'Moro', facial movements and athetoid movements. The normal newborn's motor activity is significantly related to the level of arousal, gestational age, and environmental variables such as position, temperature, light and noise.

Arousal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of abnormalities of gait in children from measurements of the instantaneous foot velocities during the swing phase.

A new gait analysis system is described which is microcomputer-based, of low cost and both suitable for and acceptable to children with neurological motor disorders. A variety of different gait abnormalities and neurological conditions have been analysed and quantitative gait information is illustrated from this equipment which provides, after a short walk, an immediate profile of the objective measurements of the main spatial and temporal parameters of the gait cycle, i.e. step length, stride time, double support time, cadence, average walking speed and maximum velocity of the foot during the swing phase.

Adolescent↗