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Attentional functioning and white matter integrity among survivors of malignant brain tumors of childhood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2004

RAYMOND K. MULHERN ,
HOLLY A. WHITE ,
JOHN O. GLASS ,
LARRY E. KUN ,
LAURIE LEIGH ,
STEPHEN J. THOMPSON  and
WILBURN E. REDDICK
RAYMOND K. MULHERN
Affiliation:
Division of Behavioral Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee
HOLLY A. WHITE
Affiliation:
Division of Behavioral Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
JOHN O. GLASS
Affiliation:
Department of Radiological Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
LARRY E. KUN
Affiliation:
Department of Radiological Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee
LAURIE LEIGH
Affiliation:
Division of Behavioral Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
STEPHEN J. THOMPSON
Affiliation:
Division of Behavioral Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee Division of Neurology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
WILBURN E. REDDICK
Affiliation:
Department of Radiological Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
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Abstract

Children surviving treatment for malignant brain tumors commonly have problems maintaining their premorbid levels of intellectual development and academic achievement. Our group has been especially interested in the effects of treatment on normal appearing white matter (NAWM) on MRI and the influence of NAWM volumes on neurocognitive functioning. The present study assessed NAWM and attentional abilities among 37 long-term survivors of malignant brain tumors, ranging in age from 1.7 to 14.8 (Mdn = 6.5) years at diagnosis, who had been treated with cranial radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy 2.6 to 15.3 (Mdn = 5.7) years earlier. On the Conners' Continuous Performance Test, the Overall Index and 7 of the other 10 indices were significantly deficient compared to age- and gender-corrected normative values. After statistically controlling for the effects of age at diagnosis and time elapsed from treatment, 5 of the 8 indices were significantly associated with cerebral white matter volumes and/or specific regional white matter volumes of the prefrontal/frontal lobe and cingulate gyrus. No gender effects were observed. The results of the present study further support the contention that NAWM is an important substrate for treatment-induced neurocognitive problems among survivors of malignant brain tumors of childhood. (JINS, 2004, 10, 180–189.)

Keywords

Childhood cancerAttentionWhite matter
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , March 2004 , pp. 180 - 189
Copyright
© 2004 The International Neuropsychological Society

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