Cerebellar mutism (also known as posterior fossa syndrome) is a relatively common complication of posterior fossa surgery for primary brain tumors in children. Many children with cerebellar mutism experience long-term adverse neurological, cognitive, and psychological sequelae and require extensive interdisciplinary support. This study illustrates a typical case of cerebellar mutism in a child after resection of medulloblastoma, followed by a review of associated symptoms, clinical course, and modulating factors. Additionally, recommendations for providing educational support to children with cerebellar mutism are explored.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1043454213518975DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cerebellar mutism
20
posterior fossa
12
mutism posterior
8
children cerebellar
8
cerebellar
5
fossa tumor
4
tumor resection
4
resection case
4
case discussion
4
discussion recommendations
4

Similar Publications

Cerebellar mutism syndrome (also known as posterior fossa syndrome) has been mostly seen in pediatric patients after surgery for neoplastic disease and is characterized by mutism, with variable symptoms such as emotional lability, ataxia, apraxia, and hypotonia. While the mechanism is not precisely defined, it is thought to result from disconnections between the cortical and cerebellar brain networks. Presentation in adult patients is rare, with various etiologies including posterior fossa ischemia, hemorrhage, and tumors being most reported.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Postoperative pediatric cerebellar mutism syndrome (ppCMS) poses serious morbidity after posterior fossa tumor surgery. Neuroimaging studies aim to understand its pathophysiology, yet these vary in methodology and outcome measures. Therefore, we systematically reviewed the current literature to evaluate the evidence for differences in neuroimaging features between children with and without ppCMS.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Posterior fossa syndrome (PFS), also known as cerebellar mutism syndrome, occurs in about 25% of pediatric patients undergoing resection of a posterior cranial fossa medulloblastoma. It is characterized primarily by mutism or reduced/impaired speech and may include variable symptoms such as motor dysfunction (apraxia, ataxia, hypotonia), supranuclear cranial nerve palsies, neurocognitive changes, and emotional lability. Long-term multidisciplinary rehabilitation is typically required, with recovery taking approximately six months, though many children experience long-term residual deficits.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pediatric cerebellar tumor survivors may present with spontaneous language impairments following treatment, but the nature of these impairments is still largely unclear. A recent study by Svaldi et al. (Cerebellum.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A predictive model for cerebellar mutism syndrome based on lesion map in children with medulloblastoma.

Eur Radiol

December 2024

Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, China.

Background: This study aimed to establish a voxel-based map to predict the occurrence of cerebellar mutism syndrome (CMS) and investigate the relationship between CMS and motor dysfunction.

Method: This multicenter study cohort included 224 patients diagnosed with medulloblastoma at Beijing Children's Hospital (n = 88) and Beijing Tiantan Hospital (n = 136). The dataset was randomly divided into training (n = 95), test (n = 41), and validation (n = 88) datasets.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!