title: Assessment of Cognitive Functioning after Pallidotomy in Patients with Primary Dystonia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stereotactic pallidotomy in the treatment of primary dystonia results in permanent damage to the posteroventral region of the internal globus pallidus. Lesions within the basal ganglia may change cognitive functioning. Subcortical structures interact with the frontal cortex, which plays an important role in cognition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of stereotactic pallidotomy on cognitive function in patients with primary dystonia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with primary dystonia who qualified for pallidotomy were tested 1-2 days before surgery, 2 days after surgery and a third time after about 6 months from the date of surgery. Cognitive functioning was assessed by the following tests: Benton visual short-term memory, auditory verbal learning test, trail making test, Stroop color word interference test and Wisconsin card sorting test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis showed the deterioration of the auditory verbal learning process in the early postoperative period of patients with primary dystonia, but after 6 months there was a significant improvement. After pallidotomy there were no significant differences in the efficiency of short-term visual memory, verbal and visual-spatial working memory, psychomotor speed and executive functions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stereotactic pallidotomy used in the treatment of primary dystonia is a safe treatment for the cognitive functioning of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, 10th Military Hospital, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Julita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zieliński
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birski
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D020821:Dystonic Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D053860:Pallidotomy; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology