Long-term supratentorial brain structure and cognitive function following cerebellar tumour resections in childhood

T Moberget; S Andersson; T Lundar; B J Due-Tønnessen; A Heldal; T Endestad; L T Westlye

doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.02.007

Long-term supratentorial brain structure and cognitive function following cerebellar tumour resections in childhood

Neuropsychologia. 2015 Mar:69:218-31. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.02.007. Epub 2015 Feb 7.

Authors

T Moberget¹, S Andersson², T Lundar³, B J Due-Tønnessen³, A Heldal⁴, T Endestad⁵, L T Westlye⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: torgeir.moberget@gmail.com.
² Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
⁵ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

PMID: 25665770
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.02.007

Abstract

The cerebellum is connected to extensive regions of the cerebrum, and cognitive deficits following cerebellar lesions may thus be related to disrupted cerebello-cerebral connectivity. Moreover, early cerebellar lesions could affect distal brain development, effectively inducing long-term changes in brain structure and cognitive function. Here, we characterize supratentorial brain structure and cognitive function in 20 adult patients treated for cerebellar tumours in childhood (mean age at surgery: 7.1 years) and 26 matched controls. Relative to controls, patients showed reduced cognitive function and increased grey matter density in bilateral cingulum, left orbitofrontal cortex and the left hippocampus. Within the patient group, increased grey matter density in these regions was associated with decreased performance on tests of processing speed and executive function. Further, diffusion tensor imaging revealed widespread alterations in white matter microstructure in patients. While current ventricle volume (an index of previous hydrocephalus severity it patients) was associated with grey matter density and white matter microstructure in patients, this could only partially account for the observed group differences in brain structure and cognitive function. In conclusion, our results show distal effects of cerebellar lesions on cerebral integrity and wiring, likely caused by a combination of neurodegenerative processes and perturbed neurodevelopment.

Keywords: Cerebellum; Cerebral grey matter; Cerebral white matter; Cognition; Development.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Brain / growth & development
Brain / pathology*
Cerebellar Neoplasms / pathology
Cerebellar Neoplasms / psychology
Cerebellar Neoplasms / surgery*
Child
Cognition*
Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Executive Function
Female
Gray Matter / pathology
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Organ Size
Young Adult