INS NYC 2024 Program

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 #89 Processing Speed and Executive Function Skills in School-Aged Survivors of Brain Tumors Tanya Paes, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Bethany Means, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Niki Jurbergs, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Heather Conklin, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Amar Gajjar, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Victoria Willard, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Category: Executive Functions/Frontal Lobes Keyword 1: executive functions Keyword 2: brain tumor Keyword 3: cognitive functioning Objective: It is well known that survivors of pediatric brain tumors demonstrate deficits in processing speed and executive function post-treatment. Both neurocognitive domains are associated with difficulties with academic and social functioning; however, limited work has explored the relationship between processing speed and executive function. In typically developing children, the hierarchical cascade hypothesis suggests that processing speed, an elementary cognitive function, is associated with executive function, a higher-order cognitive process, but it is unclear whether this association holds in survivors of pediatric brain tumors. Consequently, the objective of the current study was to examine the relations between processing speed and executive functions in survivors. The study specifically sought to examine the associations between processing speed and the domains of executive function (cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control) to identify whether the combination of processing speed and domains of executive function can be used to support the development of survivors’ long-term outcomes using a targeted intervention. Participants and Methods: Pediatric brain tumor survivors (N = 62, M_age = 10.59 years, 55.4% female, 86.2% White, level of maternal education: 77% some college and above) completed an assessment of verbal and written processing speed (Verbal Fluency Test of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System, Processing Speed Index from the Wechsler Scales of Intelligence (WISC-V)), and three measures of executive function- cognitive flexibility (NIH Toolbox Dimensional Change Card Sort), inhibitory control (NIH Toolbox Flanker Task), and working memory (Digit Span Task from the WISC-V). Regression analyses examined associations of survivors’ domain-specific executive function skills while controlling for child’s age, sex, and maternal education. Results: Both verbal and written processing speed were associated with survivors’ executive function. Specifically, category fluency (β = .30, p = .032) was associated with survivors’ cognitive flexibility (NIH Toolbox Dimensional Change Card Sort), and written processing speed was associated with all three domains of executive function- cognitive flexibility (β = .37, p = .003), inhibitory control (NIH Toolbox Flanker Task; β = .39, p = .002), and working memory (Digit Span Task from the WISC-V; β = .43, p < .001). There were no other statistically significant findings. Conclusions: Findings support the hierarchical cascade hypothesis in survivors of pediatric brain tumors and highlight the potential utility of intervention targeting both domains of neurocognitive functioning, processing speed and executive function, to improve outcomes. Future research would benefit from examining how processing speed and executive function might be differentially associated with survivors’ academics and social skills.

Poster

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 #89

Processing Speed and Executive Function Skills in School-Aged Survivors of Brain Tumors

Tanya Paes, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Bethany Means, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Niki Jurbergs, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Heather Conklin, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Amar Gajjar, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Victoria Willard, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States

Category: Executive Functions/Frontal Lobes

Keyword 1: executive functions
Keyword 2: brain tumor
Keyword 3: cognitive functioning

Objective:

It is well known that survivors of pediatric brain tumors demonstrate deficits in processing speed and executive function post-treatment. Both neurocognitive domains are associated with difficulties with academic and social functioning; however, limited work has explored the relationship between processing speed and executive function. In typically developing children, the hierarchical cascade hypothesis suggests that processing speed, an elementary cognitive function, is associated with executive function, a higher-order cognitive process, but it is unclear whether this association holds in survivors of pediatric brain tumors. Consequently, the objective of the current study was to examine the relations between processing speed and executive functions in survivors. The study specifically sought to examine the associations between processing speed and the domains of executive function (cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control) to identify whether the combination of processing speed and domains of executive function can be used to support the development of survivors’ long-term outcomes using a targeted intervention.

Participants and Methods:

Pediatric brain tumor survivors (N = 62, M_age = 10.59 years, 55.4% female, 86.2% White, level of maternal education: 77% some college and above) completed an assessment of verbal and written processing speed (Verbal Fluency Test of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System, Processing Speed Index from the Wechsler Scales of Intelligence (WISC-V)), and three measures of executive function- cognitive flexibility (NIH Toolbox Dimensional Change Card Sort), inhibitory control (NIH Toolbox Flanker Task), and working memory (Digit Span Task from the WISC-V). Regression analyses examined associations of survivors’ domain-specific executive function skills while controlling for child’s age, sex, and maternal education.

Results:

Both verbal and written processing speed were associated with survivors’ executive function. Specifically, category fluency (β = .30, p = .032) was associated with survivors’ cognitive flexibility (NIH Toolbox Dimensional Change Card Sort), and written processing speed was associated with all three domains of executive function- cognitive flexibility (β = .37, p = .003), inhibitory control (NIH Toolbox Flanker Task; β = .39, p = .002), and working memory (Digit Span Task from the WISC-V; β = .43, p < .001). There were no other statistically significant findings.

Conclusions:

Findings support the hierarchical cascade hypothesis in survivors of pediatric brain tumors and highlight the potential utility of intervention targeting both domains of neurocognitive functioning, processing speed and executive function, to improve outcomes. Future research would benefit from examining how processing speed and executive function might be differentially associated with survivors’ academics and social skills.