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01-01-2019 | Clinical Study

Computerized assessment of cognitive impairment among children undergoing radiation therapy for medulloblastoma

Authors: Andrew M. Heitzer, Jason M. Ashford, Brian T. Harel, Adrian Schembri, Michelle A. Swain, Joanna Wallace, Kirsten K. Ness, Fang Wang, Hui Zhang, Thomas E. Merchant, Giles W. Robinson, Amar Gajjar, Heather M. Conklin

Published in: Journal of Neuro-Oncology | Issue 2/2019

Abstract

Purpose

Advantages to computerized cognitive assessment include increased precision of response time measurement and greater availability of alternate forms. Cogstate is a computerized cognitive battery developed to monitor attention, memory, and processing speed. Although the literature suggests the domains assessed by Cogstate are areas of deficit in children undergoing treatment for medulloblastoma, the validity of Cogstate in this population has not been previously investigated.

Methods

Children participating in an ongoing prospective trial of risk-adapted therapy for newly diagnosed medulloblastoma (n = 73; mean age at baseline = 12.1 years) were administered Cogstate at baseline (after surgery, prior to adjuvant therapy) and 3 months later (6 weeks after completion of radiation therapy). Gold-standard neuropsychological measures of similar functions were administered at baseline.

Results

Linear mixed models revealed performance within age expectations at baseline across Cogstate tasks. Following radiation therapy, there was a decline in performance on Cogstate measures of reaction time (Identification and One Back). Females exhibited slower reaction time on One Back and Detection tasks at baseline. Higher-dose radiation therapy and younger age were associated with greater declines in performance. Pearson correlations revealed small-to-moderate correlations between Cogstate reaction time and working memory tasks with well-validated neuropsychological measures.

Conclusions

Cogstate is sensitive to acute cognitive effects experienced by some children with medulloblastoma and demonstrates associations with clinical predictors established in the literature. Correlations with neuropsychological measures of similar constructs offer additional evidence of validity. The findings provide support for the utility of Cogstate in monitoring acute cognitive effects in pediatric cancer.

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Title: Computerized assessment of cognitive impairment among children undergoing radiation therapy for medulloblastoma
Authors: Andrew M. Heitzer
Jason M. Ashford
Brian T. Harel
Adrian Schembri
Michelle A. Swain
Joanna Wallace
Kirsten K. Ness
Fang Wang
Hui Zhang
Thomas E. Merchant
Giles W. Robinson
Amar Gajjar
Heather M. Conklin
Publication date: 01-01-2019
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Neuro-Oncology / Issue 2/2019
Print ISSN: 0167-594X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7373
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-018-03046-2

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Computerized assessment of cognitive impairment among children undergoing radiation therapy for medulloblastoma

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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