RECOVERY OF MEMORY AFTER CEREBRAL ARTERY ANEURYSM SURGERY.

The principal study objective was to define whether memory deficits (numerical, working, verbal-mechanical, verbal-logical and visual memory) occurred in patients submitted to surgery for brain artery aneurysm and whether significant recovery of memory took place with time. The study sample included 92 patients, i.e. 35 (38%) male and 57 (62%) female patients aged 27 to 76 years. Neuropsychological testing was conducted at Zagreb University Hospital Centre, Department of Neurosurgery, from 1998 to 2012, in two time intervals: first within 11 months following surgery, and then 12 to 48 months after surgery. The obtained results showed that verbal-mechanical, verbal-logical, and visual memory deficits were present in the first testing interval. In the second testing, the verbal-logical and visual memory deficits were still present, while the tests of verbal-mechanical memory showed deficits in capacity and learning curve, but the results for short- and long-term memory were within the normal ranges. Neither the first nor the second testing showed deficits of numerical and working memory. Based on our results, we can conclude that long-term verbal-mechanical and visual short- and long-term memory had recovered to a statistically significant level, whereas other types of memory showed no significant recovery.

Personality Changes Following Brain Artery Aneurysm Surgery

Neuropsychological testing of patients in the course of their recovery from brain injuries enables analysis of cognitive deficiencies and/or emotional changes. The principle study objective was to define organic and/or reactive personality changes and the course of these changes in the function of the time span following brain artery aneurysm surgery in both female and male patients. The study was carried out at the Clinical Department of Neurosurgery, Zagreb University Hospital Center in Zagreb. The data refer to the period from 1989 to 2012 collected in two time intervals, i.e. 11 months and 12-48 months following brain artery aneurysm surgery. Of 72 patients included in the study, there were 28 male and 44 female patients. Neuropsychological testing consisted of clinical interview, clinical assessment of frontal lobe syndrome, Cornell personality questionnaire and Emotional Profile Index. Study results showed evidence of frontal lobe syndrome in 32% of patients on first testing and significant recovery on retesting, when only 17% of patients presented with frontal lobe syndrome. The reactive personality changes found in both testing intervals indicated increased neuroticism. In the first testing period, asthenic syndrome occurred most often, followed by conversion and aggressive-antisocial syndromes, while in the second testing interval asthenic syndrome was most pronounced and conversion and antisocial syndromes showed the same level of expression. The results also showed higher depressive and disorganizing states, which were even more pronounced in the second testing interval. As regards sex differences, the inclination toward cardiovascular somatization and destructiveness was more expressed in females than in males, showing a tendency of aggravation with increasing the time span following surgery. It may be concluded that the study has contributed to better understanding of organic and/or reactive personality changes in patients undergoing brain artery aneurysm surgery.