title: Behavioral disorders as unusual presentation of pediatric extraventricular neurocytoma: report on two cases and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extraventricular neurocytomas (EVNs) are rare parenchymal brain tumors, distinct from central neurocytomas that are typically located within the supratentorial ventricular system. Seizures and headache represent the most common symptoms of extraventricular neurocytomas in the cerebral hemisphere both in adult and pediatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe two cases of pediatric EVN with clinical onset characterized by behavioral and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorders. The association between behavioral/attention disorders in childhood and the presence of a frontal neurocytoma has never been described before. Furthermore, inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity are common among the neurobehavioral and developmental disorders in childhood. We reviewed 43 pediatric cases of extraventricular neurocytoma included in the PubMed database and their clinical presentation, and we never found this unusual relationship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In childhood, the attention/hyperactivity disorders seem to be often over-diagnosed. When these deficits are more subtle and do not well-fit in a specific neurocognitive disorder, the clinicians should have a suspicion that they might mask the clinical features of a frontal lesion. This paper is focused on the clinical presentation of the extraventricular neurocytoma and the possible organic etiology of an attention and hyperactivity deficit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Neurosurgery Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant' Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. raffaella.messina@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. mpiacefalo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria Giuseppina
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cefalo
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. domitillae.secco@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Domitilla Elena
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Secco
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Neurology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. simona.cappelletti@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cappelletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Neurosurgery Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant' Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. erika.rebessi@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rebessi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Neurosurgery Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant' Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. andrea.carai@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology/Neuroradiology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant' Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. gstefania.colafati@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Giovanna Stefania
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Colafati
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant' Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. francesca.diomedi@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Diomedi Camassei
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. antonella.cacchione@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cacchione
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Neurosurgery Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant' Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. carloefisio.marras@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Carlo Efisio
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Marras
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. angela.mastronuzzi@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mastronuzzi
mesh_terms: D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D018306:Neurocytoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology