Trends in cognitive dysfunction following surgery for intracranial tumors.
BACKGROUND
This study was conducted to prospectively assess the cognitive function of patients with intracranial tumors.


METHODS
The cognitive status of patients with intracranial tumors were prospectively studied before surgery, and later at 1 and 6 months following surgery, on purposive sampling, using validated post graduate institute (PGI) battery for brain dysfunction (score 0-30) with a higher dysfunction rating score indicating poor cognitive status.


RESULTS
Out of 23 patients enrolled, 20 could complete the study. They had substantial cognitive dysfunction before surgery (score 17.1 ± 9.4). Though there was no significant improvement (16.9 ± 9.0) at 1 month, the score improved significantly (10.3 ± 9.2) at 6 months following surgery (P = 0.008). The improvement was relatively subdued in intra-axial, malignant, and radiated tumors. Overall, there was a significant improvement in mental balance (P = 0.048), verbal retention of dissimilar pairs (P = 0.01), and recognition (P = 0.01), while dysfunction persisted in the domains of memory, verbal retention to similar pairs, and visual retention.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with intracranial tumors have substantial cognitive dysfunction, which tend to show significant improvement beyond 6 months following surgery, especially among tumors, which were extra-axial, benign, and nonirradiated.
Neuronursing Division, National Institute of Nursing Education, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Manju
M
Dhandapani
Psychiatric Nursing Division, College of Nursing, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Sandhya
S
Gupta
Department of Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Manju
M
Mohanty
Department of Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Sunil Kumar
SK
Gupta
Department of Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Sivashanmugam
S
Dhandapani
Cognitive dysfunction; intracranial tumor; memory scales; surgery