Self- and informant-rated apathy in patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma.

Introduction: The current study aimed to assess whether childhood-onset craniopharyngioma patients suffer from symptoms of apathy, as assessed by patients themselves and their close others. We further analyzed whether apathy scores are related to symptoms of depression.

Methods: Childhood-onset craniopharyngioma patients (n = 35, 16 female, median age = 22) and matched healthy controls (n = 35, 19 female, median age = 21) were asked to complete self-ratings of the Apathy Evaluation Scale, whereas informant-ratings were obtained from their close others. Depression was assessed by self-ratings using the German version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. As primary outcome measures, self- and informant-rated apathy scores were compared between patients and healthy controls. As secondary outcome measures, differences between self- and informant-rated apathy within the single groups and associations between apathy and depression were analyzed.

Results: Compared to healthy controls, patients displayed significantly higher apathy levels in informant-ratings (median = 18, median = 12, p = .021), but not in self-ratings (median = 11, median =12, p = .68). In patients, there was a significant discrepancy between self- and informant-rated apathy and self-rated apathy was related to symptoms of depression.

Conclusions: This is the first study to show that childhood-onset craniopharyngioma patients may be at high risk for apathy. Noteworthy, apathy levels in the patient group were judged to be high by their close others but not by the patients themselves, indicating that many patients were not fully aware of their impairments. As apathy is associated with numerous adverse outcomes affecting everyday life and vocational opportunities, future investigations are needed to identify specific risk factors for apathy. Clinical Trial Registration No: NCT00258453.