| Poster | Poster Session 09 Program Schedule
02/16/2024
03:30 pm - 04:45 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)
Poster Session 09: Epilepsy | Oncology | MS | Infectious Disease
Final Abstract #85
Cognitive Deficits in Patients with Insular Tumors
Agnieszka Olejnik, Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Aleksandra Bala, Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Tomasz Dziedzic, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsawa, Poland
Andrzej Marchel, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Przemysław Kunert, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Category: Medical/Neurological Disorders/Other (Adult)
Keyword 1: cognitive functioning
Keyword 2: neuropsychological assessment
Keyword 3: brain tumor
Objective:
The insula, due to its numerous connections with other regions of the brain, mediates the execution of many cognitive processes, including executive functions, attention, visual-spatial functions, memory and language functions. Patients with brain tumors located in the insular area may present a heterogeneous pattern of dysfunctions, including different set and severity of deficits, which depends on the volume as well as the rate and direction of tumor growth.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the profile of cognitive functioning of patients with insular tumors, taking into account the influence of particular clinical variables such as size and laterality of the lesion.
Participants and Methods:
A group of 20 patients (2 women, 18 men) with insular gliomas (12 left, 8 right) was examined during their hospitalization at the Department of Neurosurgery of the Medical University of Warsaw, two days before the surgery.
The following tests were used to assess cognitive function: Tower of London Test (TOL), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Victoria Stroop Test (VST), Colour Trails Test (CTT), Digit Span and Block Design (subtests from WAIS-R), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Visual Elevator (subtest from TEA), Rey Complex Figure Test and Boston Naming Test.
Results:
The results obtained by the patients were compared to population norms, which allowed for the categorization of patients’ results into the following groups: normal result, mild impairment, significant deficit. None of the patients achieved results above the norm. The most commonly observed impairments were related to attention (100%: 65% significant, 35% mild), executive functions (85%: 65% significant, 20% mild), verbal memory (65%: 40% significant, 25% mild), and visual memory (55%: 40% significant, 15% mild). Less frequently deficits included visuospatial functions (40%: 20% significant, 20% mild) and language (10% significant). The occurrence of the particular impairments was related to the lateralization of the lesion.
Conclusions:
Lesions in the insular area may be associated with a decline of the cognitive functions. Due to the above, neuropsychological assessment should be a standard element of preoperative diagnostics. Cognitive impairments can affect patient’s functioning within the hospital and hinder communication between the patient and healthcare professionals, which should be taken into account in the management of the patient. For such patients, neuropsychological rehabilitation should be added to the medical recommendations.
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