Sergio Cabrera1, Kim Edelstein1, Warren P Mason1, Maria Carmela Tartaglia1. 1. Memory Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St, Toronto M5T 2S8, Canada (S.C., M.C.T.); Pencer Brain Tumor Centre, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 610 University Ave, Toronto M5G 2M9, Canada (S.C., K.E., W.P.M.); Department of Psychosocial Oncology & Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 610 University Ave, Toronto M5G 2M9, Canada (K.E.); Department of Hematology Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 610 University Ave, Toronto M5G 2M9, Canada (S.C., W.P.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (S.C., W.P.M., M.C.T.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (K.E.); Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (M.C.T.).
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Personality changes following brain tumors may be due to disruption of frontal-subcortical networks. The relation between personality changes and tumor parameters such as volumes of the surgical cavity, residual tumor, or nonspecific white matter abnormalities is unknown. In this study we examined the relation between these tumor parameters and abnormal behaviors typically associated with frontal lobe dysfunction. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with intracranial tumors who completed the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe) during clinical neuropsychological assessment and had a solitary, well-delimited brain lesion on MRI within 3 months of that assessment were included. Tumor parameters were manually segmented using OsiriX. Nonparametric statistics were used to determine the relationship between tumor parameters and frontal behavioral dysfunction as measured by FrSBe scores. RESULTS: Patients reported significantly more behavior problems after tumor diagnosis. Tumor cavity volume was correlated with self-reported Executive Dysfunction (rho = 0.450, P = .047), and there was a trend in the relationship with self-reported Apathy (rho = 0.438, P = .053). Nonspecific white matter abnormality volume was also correlated with self-reported Apathy (rho = 0.810, P = .01). There were no correlations between FrSBe scores and residual tumor volume or summed volumes of tumor-related parameters. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that tumor parameters have differential effects on behaviors associated with frontal-subcortical networks and corroborate the high frequency of behavioral dysfunction in brain tumor patients. Examination of these relationships in a prospective trial is warranted to establish incidence, prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of behavioral disturbances in brain tumor patients.
BACKGROUND: Personality changes following brain tumors may be due to disruption of frontal-subcortical networks. The relation between personality changes and tumor parameters such as volumes of the surgical cavity, residual tumor, or nonspecific white matter abnormalities is unknown. In this study we examined the relation between these tumor parameters and abnormal behaviors typically associated with frontal lobe dysfunction. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with intracranial tumors who completed the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe) during clinical neuropsychological assessment and had a solitary, well-delimited brain lesion on MRI within 3 months of that assessment were included. Tumor parameters were manually segmented using OsiriX. Nonparametric statistics were used to determine the relationship between tumor parameters and frontal behavioral dysfunction as measured by FrSBe scores. RESULTS: Patients reported significantly more behavior problems after tumor diagnosis. Tumor cavity volume was correlated with self-reported Executive Dysfunction (rho = 0.450, P = .047), and there was a trend in the relationship with self-reported Apathy (rho = 0.438, P = .053). Nonspecific white matter abnormality volume was also correlated with self-reported Apathy (rho = 0.810, P = .01). There were no correlations between FrSBe scores and residual tumor volume or summed volumes of tumor-related parameters. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that tumor parameters have differential effects on behaviors associated with frontal-subcortical networks and corroborate the high frequency of behavioral dysfunction in brain tumor patients. Examination of these relationships in a prospective trial is warranted to establish incidence, prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of behavioral disturbances in brain tumor patients.
Entities:
Keywords:
executive function; intracranial tumors; neurocognitive; quality of life
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