TITLE:
Cognitive Impairment and Recovery in Meningiomas and Low-Grade Gliomas
AUTHORS:
Jiri Lahti, Tiia Saunamäki, Jarmo Salo, Asko Niemelä, Mervi Jehkonen
KEYWORDS:
Intracranial Tumor, Cognition, Neuropsychological Disorder, Neuropsychology, Neurosurgery
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science,
Vol.8 No.8,
August
10,
2018
ABSTRACT: This study aims to elucidate the nature of cognitive deficits caused by intracranial tumors, as well as to examine how a surgical operation of the tumor may affect tumor-induced cognitive deficits. The patient group included 43 individuals with meningioma or low-grade glioma admitted to a surgical operation of the tumor. Neuropsychological examination was conducted preoperatively, as well as three and 12 months postoperatively. The control group comprised 31 healthy subjects. In the tumor patients, preoperative cognitive performance was compromised in several cognitive domains as compared to the controls. The tumor patients with frontal and large tumors showed impairment virtually across all cognitive domains. Postoperatively, the cognitive performance of the meningioma and the small tumor group improved in all domains, with the performance of the low-grade glioma group and the large tumor group reflecting more modest cognitive improvement. Most of this improvement did not emerge until the 12 months follow-up. Cognitive impairment due to an intracranial tumor is diffuse affecting most cognitive domains. Cognitive recovery after the surgery is more noticeable in patients with meningiomas and small tumors, and the recovery will require a minimum of one year time-wise. This evidence is of significant value when planning both clinical treatment and rehabilitation of intracranial tumor patients.