Effects of Treatment on Neurocognitive and Psychosocial Development in Adolescent Brain Tumor Survivors

Abstract

Research on the cognitive and psychosocial effects of treatment for childhood brain tumors has consistently found deficits in these areas. However, the connections between these deficits, as well as their biological basis, are largely unidentified. This study used cognitive tests, parent questionnaires, and functional neuroimaging to further examine possible deficits in these areas of functioning. Brain tumor survivors had increased levels of neurocognitive and psychosocial problems, as well as decreased brain activation during working memory tasks as compared with healthy controls. Additionally, brain activation and social problems were found to be the best predictors of internalizing problems. These results further clarify the deficits observed in brain tumor survivors and support the hypothesis that brain tumor treatment is associated with inhibited brain activation.