Clinical and Neurodevelopmental Insights into Oculomotor Apraxia in Pediatric Patients

Oculomotor apraxia (OMA) is typified by difficulties in voluntary eye movements, especially horizontally, while the ability to make slow pursuit movements remains intact. This study investigated the clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging characteristics of OMA in children, along with its causes, follow-up care, and links to neurodevelopmental disorders. This retrospective analysis was performed over a period of 10 years at a hospital, involving 19 patients, primarily male, with onset ages between four months and 13 years. 

The results revealed:

• Neurological issues were present at referral, with additional symptoms like ataxia and dysarthria noted during follow-up.
• Diagnostic tests helped identify 12 patients, with six categorized as idiopathic OMA; two of these had a family history of the condition. 
• After an average follow-up, three patients with idiopathic OMA showed global developmental delay (GDD), and two were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

To summarize, idiopathic OMA is primarily a diagnosis of exclusion, which is usually accompanied with normal blood work and imaging studies. GDD was noted in half of the cases, indicating a need for further exploration of possible genetic factors, familial links and subtle MRI changes.

Source: Rodrigues AS, Azevedo I, Martins J, Figueiroa S, Carrilho I, Santos M, Temudo T, Garrido C. Exploring the clinical profile and etiological spectrum of pediatric oculomotor apraxia: A retrospective analysis. Int. J. Pediatr. Neonatology 2024;6(2):19-23. DOI: 10.33545/26648350.2024.v6.i2a.76