Cognitive complaints in brain tumor patients and their relatives’ perspectives

Abstract Background Cognitive deficits have been frequently assessed in brain tumor patients. However, self-reported cognitive complaints received little attention so far. Cognitive complaints are important as they often interfere with participation in society. In this study, cognitive complaints were systematically assessed in brain tumor patients. As patients’ experiences and relatives’ estimations may vary, the level of agreement was investigated. Methods Brain tumor outpatients (n=47) and relatives (n=42) completed the inventory Cognitive Complaints - Participation, assessing cognitive complaints across ten daily life activities and cognitive domains (total, memory, executive, attention). Cognitive complaints scores were compared between patients with different clinical characteristics (tumor type, number of treatments, absence/presence of epilepsy). Complaints difference scores in patient-relative pairs were calculated to explore the level of agreement using interrater agreements (ICC). Furthermore, we explored whether the level of agreement was related to (1) the magnitude of cognitive complaints in patient-relative pairs and (2) patients’ cognitive functioning (assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Results Patients and relatives reported most cognitive complaints during work/education (100%) and social contacts (88.1%). Patients with different clinical characteristics reported comparable cognitive complaints scores. Overall, the level of agreement in patient-relative pairs was moderate-good (ICC 0.73–0.86). Although in 24% of the pairs there was a substantial disagreement. The level of agreement was not related to the magnitude of complaints in patient-relative pairs or patients’ cognitive functioning. Conclusion Both the perspectives of brain tumor patients and their relatives’ on cognitive complaints are important. Clinicians could encourage communication to reach mutual understanding.

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Cerebrospinal Fluid MicroRNA Signatures as Diagnostic Biomarkers in Brain Tumors

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers11101546 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 1546 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Alena Kopkova ◽

Jiri Sana ◽

Tana Machackova ◽

Marek Vecera ◽

Lenka Radova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽

Brain Tumor ◽

Brain Tumors ◽

Low Grade ◽

Tumor Type ◽

Tumor Patients ◽

Primary Tumors ◽

Mirna Profiling ◽

Tumor Types ◽

Cns Malignancies

Central nervous system (CNS) malignancies include primary tumors that originate within the CNS as well as secondary tumors that develop as a result of metastatic spread. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) were found in almost all human body fluids including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and they seem to be highly stable and resistant to even extreme conditions. The overall aim of our study was to identify specific CSF miRNA patterns that could differentiate among brain tumors. These new biomarkers could potentially aid borderline or uncertain imaging results onto diagnosis of CNS malignancies, avoiding most invasive procedures such as stereotactic biopsy or biopsy. In total, 175 brain tumor patients (glioblastomas, low-grade gliomas, meningiomas and brain metastases), and 40 non-tumor patients with hydrocephalus as controls were included in this prospective monocentric study. Firstly, we performed high-throughput miRNA profiling (Illumina small RNA sequencing) on a discovery cohort of 70 patients and 19 controls and identified specific miRNA signatures of all brain tumor types tested. Secondly, validation of 9 candidate miRNAs was carried out on an independent cohort of 105 brain tumor patients and 21 controls using qRT-PCR. Based on the successful results of validation and various combination patterns of only 5 miRNA levels (miR-30e, miR-140, let-7b, mR-10a and miR-21-3p) we proposed CSF-diagnostic scores for each tumor type which enabled to distinguish them from healthy donors and other tumor types tested. In addition to this primary diagnostic tool, we described the prognostic potential of the combination of miR-10b and miR-196b levels in CSF of glioblastoma patients. In conclusion, we performed the largest study so far focused on CSF miRNA profiling in patients with brain tumors, and we believe that this new class of biomarkers have a strong potential as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in these patients.

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The effect of modafinil on fatigue, cognitive functioning, and mood in primary brain tumor patients: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

Neuro-Oncology ◽

10.1093/neuonc/not102 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 15 (10) ◽

pp. 1420-1428 ◽

Cited By ~ 72

Author(s):

F. W. Boele ◽

L. Douw ◽

M. de Groot ◽

H. F. van Thuijl ◽

W. Cleijne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Brain Tumor ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Primary Brain Tumor ◽

Tumor Patients ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

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Association between psychological distress, subjective cognitive complaints and objective neuropsychological functioning in brain tumor patients

Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery ◽

10.1016/j.clineuro.2017.10.007 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 163 ◽

pp. 18-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Aiste Pranckeviciene ◽

Vytenis Pranas Deltuva ◽

Arimantas Tamasauskas ◽

Adomas Bunevicius

Keyword(s):

Brain Tumor ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Neuropsychological Functioning ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Tumor Patients ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

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Faculty of 1000 evaluation for The effect of modafinil on fatigue, cognitive functioning, and mood in primary brain tumor patients: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

F1000 - Post-publication peer review of the biomedical literature ◽

10.3410/f.718062533.793484567 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Christina van der Feltz-Cornelis ◽

Ellen Kessels

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Brain Tumor ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Primary Brain Tumor ◽

Tumor Patients ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

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Phase II Study of Donepezil in Irradiated Brain Tumor Patients: Effect on Cognitive Function, Mood, and Quality of Life

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2005.03.3001 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 24 (9) ◽

pp. 1415-1420 ◽

Cited By ~ 228

Author(s):

Edward G. Shaw ◽

Robin Rosdhal ◽

Ralph B. D'Agostino ◽

James Lovato ◽

Michelle J. Naughton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Brain Tumor ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Phase Ii ◽

Phase Ii Study ◽

Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor ◽

Tumor Patients ◽

Health Related Qol ◽

Health Related

Purpose A prospective, open-label phase II study was conducted to determine whether donepezil, a US Food and Drug Administration–approved reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s type dementia, improved cognitive functioning, mood, and quality of life (QOL) in irradiated brain tumor patients. Patients and Methods Thirty-four patients received donepezil 5 mg/d for 6 weeks, then 10 mg/d for 18 weeks, followed by a washout period of 6 weeks off drug. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 12, 24 (end of treatment), and 30 weeks (end of wash-out). All tests were administered by a trained research nurse. Results Of 35 patients who initiated the study, 24 patients (mean age, 45 years) remained on study for 24 weeks and completed all outcome assessments. All 24 patients had a primary brain tumor, mostly low-grade glioma. Scores significantly improved between baseline (pretreatment) and week 24 on measures of attention/concentration, verbal memory, and figural memory and a trend for verbal fluency (all P < .05). Confused mood also improved from baseline to 24 weeks (P = .004), with a trend for fatigue and anger (all P < .05). Health-related QOL improved significantly from baseline to 24 weeks, particularly, for brain specific concerns with a trend for improvement in emotional and social functioning (all P < .05). Conclusion Cognitive functioning, mood, and health-related QOL were significantly improved following a 24-week course of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil. Toxicities were minimal. We are planning a double blinded, placebo-controlled, phase III trial of donepezil to confirm these favorable results.

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The interplay between emotion regulation, emotional well-being and cognitive functioning in brain tumor patients and their caregivers

10.31234/osf.io/fgqts ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Hannelore Aerts ◽

Tineke Van Vrekhem ◽

Lara Stas ◽

Daniele Marinazzo

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Emotion Regulation ◽

Brain Tumor ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Tumor Resection ◽

Well Being ◽

Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽

Tumor Patients ◽

Regulation Strategies

Objective: Brain tumor patients may suffer from a range of health-impairing problems reducing their quality of life. To identify potential targets for interventions, we examined the influence of different emotion regulation strategies on emotional well-being and cognitive functioning as indices of quality of life in patients and their caregivers in the early phase of treatment. Methods: To this end, we conducted a longitudinal study, measuring emotion regulation, emotional well-being and cognitive functioning on the day before each patient’s tumor resection (28 patients and 11 caregivers) and several months after neurosurgery (22 patients and 10 caregivers).Results: Results showed emotion regulation strategies are relatively stable from pre- to post-operative assessment. Nevertheless, several associations between emotion regulation strategies and quality of life indices were evident after tumor resection. In particular, our results were largely in line with previous research findings in healthy and other patient populations, corroborating the adaptive character of cognitive reappraisal, whereas suppression and expression of emotions were related to reduced cognitive and affective functioning, respectively.Conclusions: Based on these results, we suggest that further intervention or qualitative studies explore whether therapeutic interventions directed towards mastery of cognitive reappraisal techniques and appropriate expression of emotions could lead to improved long-term adjustment among brain tumor patients and their caregivers.

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The interplay between emotion regulation, emotional well‐being, and cognitive functioning in brain tumor patients and their caregivers: An exploratory study

Psycho-Oncology ◽

10.1002/pon.5195 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (10) ◽

pp. 2068-2075

Author(s):

Hannelore Aerts ◽

Tineke Van Vrekhem ◽

Lara Stas ◽

Daniele Marinazzo

Keyword(s):

Emotion Regulation ◽

Brain Tumor ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Well Being ◽

Tumor Patients

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Task-evoked reconfiguration of the fronto-parietal network is associated with cognitive performance in brain tumor patients

Brain Imaging and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s11682-019-00189-2 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (6) ◽

pp. 2351-2366

Author(s):

Wouter De Baene ◽

Martijn J. Jansma ◽

Irena T. Schouwenaars ◽

Geert-Jan M. Rutten ◽

Margriet M. Sitskoorn

Keyword(s):

Brain Tumor ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Deficits ◽

Memory Task ◽

Tumor Patients ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Functional Connectivity Strength ◽

The Mean ◽

Combined Data

Abstract In healthy participants, the strength of task-evoked network reconfigurations is associated with cognitive performance across several cognitive domains. It is, however, unclear whether the capacity for network reconfiguration also plays a role in cognitive deficits in brain tumor patients. In the current study, we examined whether the level of reconfiguration of the fronto-parietal (‘FPN’) and default mode network (‘DMN’) during task execution is correlated with cognitive performance in patients with different types of brain tumors. For this purpose, we combined data from a resting state and task-fMRI paradigm in patients with a glioma or meningioma. Cognitive performance was measured using the in-scanner working memory task, as well as an out-of-scanner cognitive flexibility task. Task-evoked changes in functional connectivity strength (defined as the mean of the absolute values of all connections) and in functional connectivity patterns within and between the FPN and DMN did not differ significantly across meningioma and fast (HGG) and slowly growing glioma (LGG) patients. Across these brain tumor patients, a significant and positive correlation was found between the level of task-evoked reconfiguration of the FPN and cognitive performance. This suggests that the capacity for FPN reconfiguration also plays a role in cognitive deficits in brain tumor patients, as was previously found for normal cognitive performance in healthy controls.

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