Executive dysfunction is associated with poorer health-related quality of life in pediatric brain tumor survivors.

Children with a brain tumor (BT) are at risk for a number of physical and cognitive problems that may lower their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Executive functioning (EF) and intellectual ability are hypothesized to associate with HRQoL and deficits in these areas may be amenable to interventions. This study aimed to investigate intellectual function, EF, and HRQoL following conformal radiation therapy (CRT) for pediatric BT.

Adaptive functioning of childhood brain tumor survivors following conformal radiation therapy.

Adaptive functioning is not often examined in childhood brain tumor (BT) survivors, with the few existing investigations relying on examiner interviews. Parent questionnaires may provide similar information with decreased burden. The purpose of this study was: (1) to examine adaptive behaviors in BT survivors relative to healthy peer and cancer survivor groups, and (2) to explore the validity of a parent questionnaire in relation to an examiner administered interview.

Longitudinal investigation of adaptive functioning following conformal irradiation for pediatric craniopharyngioma and low-grade glioma.

Purpose: Children treated for brain tumors with conformal radiation therapy experience preserved cognitive outcomes. Early evidence suggests that adaptive functions or independent-living skills may be spared. This longitudinal investigation prospectively examined intellectual and adaptive functioning during the first 5 years following irradiation for childhood craniopharyngioma and low-grade glioma (LGG).

The impact of attention on social functioning in survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumors.

Background: The cognitive late effects experienced by many survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and brain tumors are well-established. The most commonly reported deficit is difficulty with attention. Problems with social functioning have also been identified, but their relationship with cognitive functioning is not well understood.

A 5-year investigation of children's adaptive functioning following conformal radiation therapy for localized ependymoma.

Purpose: Conformal and intensity modulated radiation therapies have the potential to preserve cognitive outcomes in children with ependymoma; however, functional behavior remains uninvestigated. This longitudinal investigation prospectively examined intelligence quotient (IQ) and adaptive functioning during the first 5 years after irradiation in children diagnosed with ependymoma.

Methods And Materials: The study cohort consisted of 123 children with intracranial ependymoma.

Parent and teacher ratings of attention during a year-long methylphenidate trial in children treated for cancer.

Objective: Longitudinally examine attention performance in childhood cancer survivors prescribed methylphenidate (MPH) to ameliorate cognitive late effects, comparing measures for inter-rater and inter-method discrepancies.

Methods: Survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 33) or brain tumor (n = 35), mean age 11.11 ± 0.

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment: diagnostic outcomes and clinical prediction over a two-year time period.

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been defined as a precursor to Alzheimer's disease (AD), although it is sometimes difficult to identify which persons with MCI will eventually convert to AD. We sought to predict MCI conversion to AD over a two-year follow-up period using baseline demographic and neuropsychological test data from 49 MCI patients. Using a stepwise discriminant function analysis with Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) Initiation/Perseveration and Wechsler Memory Scale, third edition (WMS-III) Visual Reproduction Percent Retention scores, we correctly classified 85.