Longitudinal assessment of cognitive function in young children undergoing general anaesthesia

Abstract INTRODUCTION Estimates of subjective cognitive function (SCF) generally show minimal correlation with objective measures of neurocognitive function (NCF). Our group recently validated a new metric of SCF in neuro-oncology patients, creating the Cognitive Index of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain (FACT-Br-CI). This study examines whether brain tumor (BT) patients evaluated on more than one occasion show improved relationship between SCF and NCF. We hypothesized that change scores in SCF and NCF across evaluation would be more highly correlated than SCF and NCF at either timepoint. METHODS A retrospective study of BT patients who completed two neuropsychological evaluations (baseline, follow-up) was conducted. NCF was measured by the clinical trial battery composite (CTBC), a mean of 6 commonly used neuropsychological test scores. SCF was measured by the FACT-Br-CI. Mood/Anxiety were measured by the Beck scales (BAI/BDI-II). Change over time on each metric was evaluated with paired t-test. Correlational analyses evaluated relationships between NCF, SCF, and mood within and between time points. RESULTS Twenty-nine patients (16 female; mean age=54.6y; mean education=15.5y) completed all CTBC measures and FACT-Br-CI, 28 of whom completed and BDI and/or BAI. On group analyses, there were no significant differences between baseline and follow-up on CTBC (t=-.53;p=ns) or FACT-Br-CI (t=-.98;p=ns). Correlations between CTBC and FACT-Br-CI were nonsignificant at baseline (r=.24;p=ns), but significant at follow-up (r=.56;p=0.002). Change scores over time were unrelated (r=-.104;p=ns). Similar to previous studies, the FACT-BR-CI correlated with the BDI-II at baseline (r=-.38;p=0.04) and follow-up (r=-.59;p< 0.001) and with the BAI at follow-up (r=-.44;p=0.02). CONCLUSION In this small group of brain tumor patients seen for repeated neuropsychological evaluations, we found that agreement between SCF and NCF was much higher on their second than initial evaluation. These findings suggest that patients may develop enhanced awareness of their cognitive function from an initial evaluation that persists over time.

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Neuroplasticity induced by general anaesthesia: study protocol for a randomised cross-over clinical trial exploring the effects of sevoflurane and propofol on the brain – A 3-T magnetic resonance imaging study of healthy volunteers

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-020-04468-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Signe Sloth Madsen ◽

Kirsten Møller ◽

Karsten Skovgaard Olsen ◽

Mark Bitsch Vestergaard ◽

Ulrich Lindberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Clinical Trial ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Healthy Volunteers ◽

General Anaesthesia ◽

Well Being ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Link Type ◽

The Brain

Abstract Background Although used extensively worldwide, the effects of general anaesthesia on the human brain remain largely elusive. Moreover, general anaesthesia may contribute to serious conditions or adverse events such as postoperative cognitive dysfunction and delirium. To understand the basic mechanisms of general anaesthesia, this project aims to study and compare possible de novo neuroplastic changes induced by two commonly used types of general anaesthesia, i.e. inhalation anaesthesia by sevoflurane and intravenously administered anaesthesia by propofol. In addition, we wish to to explore possible associations between neuroplastic changes, neuropsychological adverse effects and subjective changes in fatigue and well-being. Methods This is a randomised, participant- and assessor-blinded, cross-over clinical trial. Thirty healthy volunteers (male:female ratio 1:1) will be randomised to general anaesthesia by either sevoflurane or propofol. Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain will be performed before and after general anaesthesia and repeated after 1 and 8 days. Each magnetic resonance imaging session will be accompanied by cognitive testing and questionnaires on fatigue and well-being. After a wash-out period of 4 weeks, the volunteers will receive the other type of anaesthetic (sevoflurane or propofol), followed by the same series of tests. Primary outcomes: changes in T1-weighted 3D anatomy and diffusion tensor imaging. Secondary outcomes: changes in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, fatigue, well-being, cognitive function, correlations between magnetic resonance imaging findings and the clinical outcomes (questionnaires and cognitive function). Exploratory outcomes: changes in cerebral perfusion and oxygen metabolism, lactate, and response to visual stimuli. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is the most extensive and advanced series of studies with head-to-head comparison of two widely used methods for general anaesthesia. Recruitment was initiated in September 2019. Trial registration Approved by the Research Ethics Committee in the Capital Region of Denmark, ref. H-18028925 (6 September 2018). EudraCT and Danish Medicines Agency: 2018-001252-35 (23 March 2018). www.clinicaltrials.gov, ID: NCT04125121. Retrospectively registered on 10 October 2019.

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Recovery from stunting and cognitive outcomes in young children: evidence from the South African Birth to Twenty Cohort Study

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease ◽

10.1017/s2040174415007175 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 163-171 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

D. Casale ◽

C. Desmond

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Young Children ◽

School Readiness ◽

Economic Status ◽

Cognitive Outcomes ◽

Early Years ◽

Cognitive Tests ◽

Data Set ◽

Urban South

In this study we analyse the implications for cognitive function of recovery from stunting in early childhood. More specifically, we test whether children who met the definition for stunted at age 2, but not at age 5, perform better in cognitive tests than children who remain stunted over this period. The sample is drawn from the Birth to Twenty Cohort Study, a prospective data set of children born in 1990 in urban South Africa. The measure of cognitive function that we use is based on the Revised Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire implemented when the children were age 5. We employ multivariate regression in the analysis to control for child-specific characteristics, socio-economic status, the home environment and caregiver inputs. We find that recovery from stunting is not uncommon among young children in our sample. However, children who recover from stunting by age 5 still perform significantly worse on cognitive tests than children who do not experience early malnutrition, and almost as poorly as children who remain stunted. These findings suggest that the timing of nutritional inputs in the early years is key in a child’s cognitive development, with implications for school readiness and achievement.

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