title: Neuropsychological outcome in patients with childhood craniopharyngioma and hypothalamic involvement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test memory performance and executive functions in patients with childhood craniopharyngioma and hypothalamic involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using standardized neuropsychological tests, we compared cognitive performance in a group of 15 patients with childhood craniopharyngioma and known hypothalamic involvement and a group of 24 age- and intelligence-matched control subjects. In addition, we compared individual patients' results with normative data to detect abnormal performance in the clinically relevant range. Within the patient group, we further tested whether the grade of hypothalamic involvement had an impact on cognitive performance and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to healthy controls, the patients demonstrated significantly lower performance scores in tests of memory and executive functioning. On the individual performance level, delayed recall performance was severely impaired in one-third of the patients. Compared with patients with low-grade hypothalamic involvement, those with high-grade hypothalamic involvement showed worse performance in executive functions and reduced functional capabilities for daily life actions, indicating lower quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings demonstrate that hypothalamic involvement is related to impairments in memory and executive functioning in patients with childhood craniopharyngioma and indicate that a high grade of hypothalamic involvement is related to worse outcomes.
authors: Biological Psychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Jale
authors: J
authors: Özyurt
authors: Biological Psychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center for Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Christiane M
authors: CM
authors: Thiel
authors: Biological Psychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany; Center for Integrative Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian Albrechts University School of Medicine, Kiel, Germany.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Lorenzen
authors: Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Center for Child and Adolescent Medicine, Klinikum Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Ursel
authors: U
authors: Gebhardt
authors: Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Münster University Hospital, Münster, Germany.
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Calaminus
authors: Department of Neuroradiology, Würzburg University Hospital, Würzburg, Germany.
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Warmuth-Metz
authors: Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Center for Child and Adolescent Medicine, Klinikum Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Hermann L
authors: HL
authors: Müller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007029:Hypothalamic Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*