Cognitive dysfunction following surgery for intracerebral glioma: influence of histopathology, lesion location, and treatment.

This study examined the relationship between cognitive function, tumor malignancy, adjunctive therapy, and lesion lateralization following surgery for intracerebral glioma. Neuropsychological test battery results showed no difference between patients with highly malignant gliomas and those with less malignant gliomas, but differences were found for tumor lateralization and type of therapy. Scores on a test of graphomotor speed were lowest for patients who had received radiation or a combination of radiation and chemotherapy, regardless of lesion location. Other test results did not differ according to type of prior treatment but were related instead to tumor lateralization. Left hemisphere lesions were associated with lower scores on verbal tests, while right hemisphere lesions were related to lower scores on a test of facial recognition. These findings suggest that neuropsychological tests may be useful for distinguishing between the diffuse side effects of brain tumor therapy and the focal effects of tumors and surgery on brain functions. In addition, it appears that any differences in cognitive function due to tumor malignancy are eliminated or reduced following surgical intervention.