We assessed 12 young adults with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, aged from 14 to 33 years, by intellectual quotient (IQ) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and obtained the following findings. First, the IQ scores were relatively lower than those predicted by their social activities. Second, there were two cases who seemed to have right or bilateral hemisphere representatives of language; their IQ scores were within normal range, while MRI demonstrated extensive brain damages including usual ones in language areas. Third, IQ scores and MRI findings were correlated to some extent; however, a case of limited brain damage on MRI had low IQ score, while five cases of brain damage located excluding their language areas had normal or high IQ scores.
The results of the present study indicate the necessity of follow-up MRI for prospective observation of the brain damage acquired at or around birth.