A Systemic Analysis Language Deficits in Moyamoya Disease with Childhood Onset and Adolescent Onset

Moyamoya is a Japanese word for a “cloud of smoke” or “haze”. Moyamoya disease also known as Nishimoto-Takeuchi-Kudo disease is a rare, progressive vascular disorder in which the carotid artery in the skull becomes blocked or narrowed, reducing blood flow to the brain. The onset of Moyamoya disease in children is 5-10 years and in adult is 30-50 years. The signs and symptoms of Moyamoya disease will have difference according to their age of onset. The chances of cognitive impairments are more in childhood onset especially in a prelingual period when compared to adolescent and adulthood onset. Later these cognitive impairments may lead to several developmental disabilities and communication breakdowns. In adolescent or adulthood onset the chances of cognitive impairment are less and they may show an aphasic or dysarthric type of communication impairment. Aim of this study is to compare the communication impairments of Moyamoya disease with childhood onset and adolescent onset. The study was done by taking two female participants with Moyamoya disease. The first subject was with a childhood onset at the age of 3.9 years and the second subject was with an adolescent onset at the age of 16 years. Both the participants’ speech and language skills were assessed using standardized tools for communication assessments. The study concludes that, Moyamoya disease with childhood onset will lead to language learning deficits accompanied by intellectual disabilities and in case of adolescent onset the communication impairments will be in the form of Aphasic and Dysarthric type of disturbances. Key words: Moyamoya disease; Aphasia; Dysarthria; Intellectual Disabilities