Inhibitory control following perinatal brain injury

Evidence from developmental, lesion, and neuroimaging studies indicates that the prefrontal cortex plays a major role in executive abilities, including inhibitory control. Proficient executive performance, however, relies not only on the integrity of the prefrontal cortex but also on its interactions with other brain regions. In the current study, the authors focused on the effect that early damage to the white matter tracts interconnecting prefrontal and other brain regions has on inhibitory control. Data were collected from 13 children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy and from a control group of 20 children with no history of neurologic compromise. Converging evidence from 3 separate paradigms is presented that strongly suggests these children experience impairments in inhibitory control. Findings are discussed within the context of current cognitive and neuroanatomical models of inhibition.