Cerebral dysfunction after chronic hypoxia in children.

Although the long-term effects of acute anoxia have been studied, the effects of chronic hypoxia on the developing human brain have received little attention. We studied children with a cyanotic congenital heart defect to assess the impact of chronic hypoxia by eight measures: neurologic examination, visual evoked response, EEG, behavioral adjustment, cognitive, perceptual-motor, and attentional functioning, and school performance. On outcome evaluation, these children evidenced diverse neurophysiologic dysfunction. Chronic hypoxia was associated with impaired motor function, inability to sustain attention, and low academic achievement.