Assessing Discrepancies in Neurocognitive and Patient-Reported Measures of Brain Tumor Survivors.

Objectives: To examine the association between performance-based neurocognitive and patient-reported cognitive function tests and identify characteristics that may explain observed discrepancies as a means to advance intervention development.

Sample & Setting: 40 adults diagnosed with a primary brain tumor (PBT) (high-grade, n = 35) were recruited from two academic neuro-oncology clinics in North Carolina.

Methods & Variables: Eligibility included a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 24 or greater, having completed cancer treatment, and having tumor stability.

Neuropsychological effects and attitudes in patients following electroconvulsive therapy.

The current study examined the effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on neuropsychological test performance. Forty-six patients completed brief neuropsychological and psychological testing before and after receiving ECT for the treatment of recalcitrant and severe depression. Neuropsychological testing consisted of the Levin Selective Reminding Test (Levin) and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Edition (WMS-R).

Dose-dependent effects of radiation therapy on cerebral blood flow, metabolism, and neurocognitive dysfunction.

Purpose: A prospective study was performed to formally relate dose-dependent radiologically defined changes in normal brain induced by radiotherapy (RT) to neurocognitive dysfunction in subjects with primary brain tumors.

Methods And Materials: Adult patients receiving three-dimensional RT for central nervous system (CNS) tumors were enrolled. Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning and neuropsychological testing were performed before RT and 3 weeks and 6 months after treatment.

Evaluation and characterization of generalized anxiety and depression in patients with primary brain tumors.

To determine clinical and sociodemographic factors that are associated with major neuropsychiatric illnesses among brain tumor patients, we administered a modified version of the Brief Patient Health Questionnaire and a demographic data form to 363 adult neuro-oncology patients. Responses were analyzed to assess for associations between demographic variables, clinical variables, and symptoms consistent with diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder and/or depression. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that female gender was associated with the presence of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and combined anxiety and depression.

A pilot study: 131I-antitenascin monoclonal antibody 81c6 to deliver a 44-Gy resection cavity boost.

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and assess the efficacy and toxicity, among newly diagnosed malignant glioma patients, of administering (131)I-labeled murine antitenascin monoclonal antibody 81C6 ((131)I-81C6) into a surgically created resection cavity (SCRC) to achieve a patient-specific, 44-Gy boost to the 2-cm SCRC margin. A radioactivity dose of (131)I-81C6 calculated to achieve a 44-Gy boost to the SCRC was administered, followed by conventional external beam radiotherapy (XRT) and chemotherapy. Twenty-one patients were enrolled in the study: 16 with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and 5 with anaplastic astrocytoma.

Neuropsychological assessment, neuroimaging, and neuropsychiatric evaluation in pediatric and adult patients with sickle cell disease (SCD).

Traditionally, neuropsychological deficits due to Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) have been understudied in adults. We have begun to suspect, however, that symptomatic and asymptomatic Cerebrovascular Events (CVE) may account for an alarming number of deficits in this population. In the current brief review, we critically evaluated the pediatric and adult literatures on the neurocognitive effects of SCD.