Predictors of cognitive deficit in children with brain tumor

Abstract

There are a lot of evidences that the negative effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy reduce subsequently child's cognitive abilities. Despite of the massive data amount, there are no studies where integrated approach to assessment of anamnesis data influence on cognitive development was used. In this study we investigated the role of anamnesis' factors in the appearance of delayed cognitive deficits in children with brain tumor. The sample included 130 children with lesions of the cerebellum, the pineal regions and parietal-temporal cortical areas. Level of cognitive development was determined by using Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC and K-ABC-II). Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children includes scales: Mental Processing Index, Sequential Processing Scale, Simultaneous Processing Scale, Learning Scale and Planning Scale. Multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate influence of such factors as gender, duration of postoperative period and neuro-oncological disease treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy). It was found out that chemotherapy and radiation therapy become determinative factors of delayed cognitive deficiency in children with neuro-oncological diseases only at cerebellar tumor localization. For children with pineal region tumors and parietal-temporal lobe tumors most important negative factors were male sex and early surgical intervention. Girls with lesions of the pineal region and parietal-temporal cortical areas show greater maintenance in verbal memory and planning function in comparison with boys. Such results can be explained by different gender localization of these cognitive functions.