Neuropsychological Assessment of Children and Adolescents With Turner Syndrome

Turner syndrome (TS) is a rare chromosomal disorder characterized by partial or complete loss of one of the X chromosomes that affects about one in every 2000 female babies born. These young patients described difficulties making friends, understanding others' emotions and intentions, and controlling their own emotions. Difficulties in these domains could led to social withdrawal, to reduced social skills and could have a significant impact on self esteem and mental health as well as on long-term academic and social functioning in affected individuals. The purpose of this project is to identify functional and dysfunctional cognitive and socio-cognitive abilities in these young patients which could account social difficulties described by some of them and their family. To this end, 35 girls with TS and 35 girls with isolated growth hormone deficiency and normal cerebral MRI will be recruited. Subjects will be 7 to 16 years and 11 months of age. Socio-cognitive and cognitive functions will be assessed with neuropsychological and experimental tasks. Questionnaires completed by patient, parents or teacher, will evaluate social and behavioral functioning.