title: Adolescents with vascular frontal lesion: A neuropsychological follow up case study.
abstract: The objective of this research was to identify clinically significant changes in cognitive functions in three adolescents who underwent surgery for resection of a focal vascular lesion in the frontal lobe. Cognitive functions, executive function, behavior regulation, emotion regulation, and social abilities were assessed prior to surgery, six and 24 months post-discharge. Significant clinical changes were observed during all the assessments. Cognitive changes after surgery are not homogeneous. Most of the significant clinical changes were improvements. Especially the significant clinical changes presented in EF domains were only improvements; these results suggest that EF were affected by the vascular lesion and benefitted by the surgery. After resection of a vascular lesion between 15 and 16 years of age the affected executive functions can continue the maturation process. Our results highlight the importance that assessments must include emotional aspects, even if deficits in these domains are not presented in the acute phase. Rehabilitation methods should promote the development of skills that help patients and their families to manage the emotional and behavioral changes that emerge once they are discharged from the hospital.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, FES Iztacala, México, D.F., Mexico; Child Neuropsychology, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: clara.chavezarana@mcri.edu.au.
authors.forename: Clara L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chávez
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, FES Iztacala, México, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Guillermina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yáñez
authors.affiliation: Child Neuropsychology, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catroppa
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, FES Iztacala, México, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Sulema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, FES Iztacala, México, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Erick
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escartin
authors.affiliation: Child Neuropsychology, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen J C
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hearps
authors.affiliation: Medical Unit of High Specialty "La Raza" IMSS, Paediatric Neurosurgery Service, México, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Adolescentes; Adolescents; Arteriovenous malformations; Brain lesions; Cavernous angioma; Executive functions; Funciones ejecutivas; Hemangioma cavernoso; Lesiones cerebrales; Malformaciones arteriovenosas; Neurocirugía; Neurosurgery