Application of the CNS vital signs test and WISC-IV in the cognitive assessment of Chinese pediatric patients with intra-cranial space occupying lesion.

BACKGROUND: A fast and reliable neurocognitive assessment tool is required for pediatric patients with an intracranial space-occupying lesion (ICSOL). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 41 pediatric patients having ICSOL. Cognitive abilities were assessed using both WISC-IV and CNS Vital Signs (CNS VS). All domains are compared to the normative data. Spearman's correlation analysis is performed between domains in two batteries. RESULTS: In the WISC-IV, CPI, PSI, and WMI are significantly lower than the normative level. In the CNS VS, NCI, Memory domains, Reaction Time, Social Acuity, and Sustained Attention are significantly lower. Six domains in the CNS VS, including Complex Attention, Sustained Attention, Cognitive Flexibility, Executive Function, Processing Speed, and Social Acuity, positively correlate to the PSI or CPI in the WISC-IV. Sixty percent (9/15) of domains in the CNS VS negatively correlate to the size of ISCOL. The FSIQ in the WISC-IV is significantly associated with patients' parent education level. CONCLUSION: Compared to the WISC-IV, CNS VS takes less time, but measures more domains. CNS VS is more sensitive to the size of ICSOL but is not affected by patients' parent education level. A healthy control group is warranted for interpreting the results in Chinese participants.

Changes in a sensorimotor network, occipital network, and psychomotor speed within three months after focal surgical injury in pediatric patients with intracranial space-occupying lesions.

BACKGROUND: Studies on cognition and brain networks after various forms of brain injury mainly involve traumatic brain injury, neurological disease, tumours, and mental disease. There are few related studies on surgical injury and even fewer pediatric studies. This study aimed to preliminarily explore the cognitive and brain network changes in children with focal, unilateral, well-bounded intracranial space-occupying lesions (ISOLs) in the short term period after surgery. METHODS: We enrolled 15 patients (6-14 years old) with ISOLs admitted to the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery of the Beijing Tiantan Hospital between July 2020 and August 2021. Cognitive assessment and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) were performed. Regional homogeneity (Reho), seed-based analysis (SBA) and graph theory analysis (GTA) were performed. Paired T-test was used for statistical analysis of cognitive assessment and rs-fMRI. Gaussian random-field theory correction (voxel p-value < 0.001, cluster p-value < 0.05) was used for Reho and SBA. False discovery rate correction (corrected p value < 0.05) for GTA. RESULTS: Our results showed that psychomotor speed decreased within three months after surgery. Further, rs-fMRI data analysis suggested that sensorimotor and occipital network activation decreased with low information transmission efficiency. CONCLUSION: We prudently concluded that the changes in cognitive function and brain network within three months after surgery may be similar to ageing and that the brain is vulnerable during this period.