1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-9-71-b 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-9-9-12 Brain Tumors Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant Radiotherapy-Induced Cognitive Sequelae http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 09 1995 01 06 2016 9 9 71 72 Copyright: © 1995 The Author(s) 1995 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Radiotherapy in the treatment of low-grade astrocytomas. II. The physical and cognitive sequelae

Long-term neurological and neuropsychological outcome in 25 irradiated children <15-years of age and 25 treated with surgery alone for low-grade astrocytoma was evaluated by two neurosurgeons and two psychologists independently at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, UK.

 Neuropsychological Cranial Radiation Therapy Supratentorial Tumor

Long-term neurological and neuropsychological outcome in 25 irradiated children <15-years of age and 25 treated with surgery alone for low-grade astrocytoma was evaluated by two neurosurgeons and two psychologists independently at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, UK. Neurological function was not different in the irradiated group compared to the non-irradiated patients. In all neuropsychological tests used to assess intelligence, word reading, memory, learning and information processing, the performance of children with cranial radiation therapy was worse than those treated by surgery alone, and significant changes occurred in tests of IQ and information processing. Special education was required more frequently in the irradiated group. Both supratentorial tumor radiotherapy and local field irradiation to the posterior fossa for cerebellar tumors produced significant cognitive impairments. [1]

COMMENT. This study confirms previous reports of cognitive impairments following irradiation for supratentorial tumors in children. Additionally, even local field irradiation to the posterior fossa can result in learning and academic problems. Children receiving cranial radiation therapy, locally or to the whole brain, should be followed with neuropsychological testing for longer than 3 years to determine effects on IQ and the need for special education.

 Chadderton RD West CG Schuller S Quirke DC Gattamaneni R Taylor R Radiotherapy in the treatment of low-grade astrocytomas. II. The physical and cognitive sequelae Childs Nerv Syst 1995 Aug 11 8 443 8 7585679 10.1007/BF00334961