Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Neurocognitive and psychological profiles in pediatric arachnoid cyst

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Child's Nervous System Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

This study aims to investigate whether intracranial arachnoid cysts (AC) compromise neurocognitive function and psychological profiles in pediatric patients, depending on various clinical factors.

Methods

We assessed neurocognitive functions and psychological tests in 35 AC patients and 35 healthy control subjects between October 2007 and April 2008. AC patients ranged in age from 3 to 15 (7.94 ± 3.12) years old and control patients from 5 to 13 (8.84 ± 2.17) years old. The location of the AC were temporal (n = 22), frontal (n = 6), suprasellar (n = 4), and posterior fossa (n = 3). Patients underwent neurocognitive and psychological assessments before surgery. To investigate which AC impair neurocognitive function and psychological profile, we assessed intelligence, memory, attention, executive function, behavioral problems, emotional distress, and parenting stress.

Results

AC caused some demonstrated impairment by both neurocognitive function and psychological assessments. Left hemisphere AC tended to have more anxiety; mood changes can be detected depending on cyst grade. An incidental finding of AC after trauma is more intelligent, well-reserved executive function. Frontal locations tended to cause more anxiety than temporal locations.

Conclusions

Our results imply that intracranial AC impairs some neurocognitive and psychological functions. An incidental finding of AC after trauma was a more intelligent, well-reserved executive function. AC in the left hemisphere, frontal location tended to cause more anxiety. The AC itself did not cause differences in neurocognitive function from the control group. However, parenting stress in the AC group was much higher than in the control group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abidin P (1986) Parenting stress index(PSI). Manual and administration. Pediatric Psychology, Charlotteville, VA, USA

    Google Scholar 

  2. Achenbach TM, Ruffle TM (2000) The child behavior checklist and related forms for assessing behavioral/emotional problems and competencies. Pediatr Rev 21:265–271

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Arai H, Sato K, Wachi A, Okuda O, Takeda N (1996) Arachnoid cysts of the middle cranial fossa: experience with 77 patients who were treated with cystoperitoneal shunting. Neurosurgery 39:1108–1112 discussion 1112-1103

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bahk WM, Pae CU, Chae JH, Jun TY, Kim KS (2002) A case of brief psychosis associated with an arachnoid cyst. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 56:203–205

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Beck AT, Ward CH, Mendelson M, Mock J, Erbaugh J (1961) An inventory for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 4:561–571

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Becker T, Wagner M, Hofmann E, Warmuth-Metz M, Nadjmi M (1991) Do arachnoid cysts grow? A retrospective CT volumetric study. Neuroradiology 33:341–345

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Blackshaw S, Bowen RC (1987) A case of atypical psychosis associated with alexithymia and a left fronto-temporal lesion: possible correlations. Can J Psychiatry 32:688–692

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Colameco S, DiTomasso RA (1982) Arachnoid cyst associated with psychological disturbance. J Med Soc N J 79:209–210

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cullum CM, Heaton RK, Harris MJ, Jeste DV (1994) Neurobehavioral and neurodiagnostic aspects of late-onset psychosis. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 9:371–382

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Di Rocco C, Tamburrini G, Caldarelli M, Velardi F, Santini P (2003) Prolonged ICP monitoring in Sylvian arachnoid cysts. Surg Neurol 60:211–218

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Eskandary H, Sabba M, Khajehpour F, Eskandari M (2005) Incidental findings in brain computed tomography scans of 3000 head trauma patients. Surg Neurol 63:550–553 discussion 553

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Galassi E, Tognetti F, Gaist G, Fagioli L, Frank F, Frank G (1982) CT scan and metrizamide CT cisternography in arachnoid cysts of the middle cranial fossa: classification and pathophysiological aspects. Surg Neurol 17:363–369

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Golaz J, Bouras C (1993) Frontal arachnoid cyst. A case of bilateral frontal arachnoid cyst without clinical signs. Clin Neuropathol 12:73–78

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gundersen H, Helland CA, Raeder MB, Hugdahl K, Wester K (2007) Visual attention in patients with intracranial arachnoid cysts. J Neurol 254:60–66

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hodges JR (1991) Pure apraxic agraphia with recovery after drainage of a left frontal cyst. Cortex 27:469–473

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Horiguchi T, Takeshita K (2000) Cognitive function and language of a child with an arachnoid cyst in the left frontal fossa. World J Biol Psychiatry 1:159–163

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. KIM H (1999) Rey-Kim memory test. Korea neuropsychology, Daegu

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kovacs M (1985) The Children's Depression, Inventory (CDI). Psychopharmacol Bull 21:995–998

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Lang W, Lang M, Kornhuber A, Gallwitz A, Kriebel J (1985) Neuropsychological and neuroendocrinological disturbances associated with extracerebral cysts of the anterior and middle cranial fossa. Eur Arch Psychiatry Neurol Sci 235:38–41

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lebowitz BK, Schefft BK, Marc Testa S, Patton JA, Yeh HS (2006) Neurocognitive sequelae of a giant arachnoid cyst: case study. Neurocase 12:339–345

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Nelson HE (1976) A modified card sorting test sensitive to frontal lobe defects. Cortex 12:313–324

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Raeder MB, Helland CA, Hugdahl K, Wester K (2005) Arachnoid cysts cause cognitive deficits that improve after surgery. Neurology 64:160–162

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Reynolds CR, Richmond BO (1978) What I think and feel: a revised measure of children's manifest anxiety. J Abnorm Child Psychol 6:271–280

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Shin MS, Cho S, Chun SY, Hong KE (2000) A study of the development and standardization of ADHD diagnostic system. Korean J Child Adol Psychiatr 11:91–99

    Google Scholar 

  25. Shuangshoti S (1978) Calcified congenital arachnoid cyst with heterotopic neuroglia in wall. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 41:88–94

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Sommer IE, Smit LM (1997) Congenital supratentorial arachnoidal and giant cysts in children: a clinical study with arguments for a conservative approach. Childs Nerv Syst 13:8–12

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Soukup VM, Patterson J, Trier TT, Chen JW (1998) Cognitive improvement despite minimal arachnoid cyst decompression. Brain Dev 20:589–593

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Spansdahl T, Solheim O (2007) Quality of life in adult patients with primary intracranial arachnoid cysts. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 149:1025–1032 discussion 1032

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Stracciari A, Ciucci G, Bissi G (1987) Transient global amnesia associated with a large arachnoid cyst of the middle cranial fossa of the non dominant hemisphere. Ital J Neurol Sci 8:609–611

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Sztriha L, Gururaj A (2005) Hippocampal dysgenesis associated with temporal lobe hypoplasia and arachnoid cyst of the middle cranial fossa. J Child Neurol 20:926–930

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Tolmie JL, Day R, Fredericks B, Galea P, Moffett AW (1997) Dominantly inherited cerebral dysplasia: arachnoid cyst associated with mild mental handicap in a mother and her son. J Med Genet 34:1018–1020

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Tsurushima H, Harakuni T, Saito A, Tominaga D, Hyodo A, Yoshii Y (2000) Symptomatic arachnoid cyst of the left frontal convexity presenting with memory disturbance—case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 40:339–341

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Vakis AF, Koutentakis DI, Karabetsos DA, Kalostos GN (2006) Psychosis-like syndrome associated with intermittent intracranial hypertension caused by a large arachnoid cyst of the left temporal lobe. Br J Neurosurg 20:156–159

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Weber F, Knopf H (2006) Incidental findings in magnetic resonance imaging of the brains of healthy young men. J Neurol Sci 240:81–84

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Wechsler D (1981) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, Tx

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wester K, Hugdahl K (1995) Arachnoid cysts of the left temporal fossa: impaired preoperative cognition and postoperative improvement. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 59:293–298

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Wester K (1999) Peculiarities of intracranial arachnoid cysts: location, sidedness, and sex distribution in 126 consecutive patients. Neurosurgery 45:775–779

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Wester K, Hugdahl K (2003) Verbal laterality and handedness in patients with intracranial arachnoid cysts. J Neurol 250:36–41

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Wester K (2008) Intracranial arachnoid cysts—do they impair mental functions? J Neurol 255:1113–1120

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Yeom Y, Park Y, Oh K, Kim J, Lee Y (1992) K-Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Seoul, Korea

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This study was financially supported by the Ministry of Health and the Welfare (7-2005-1216).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Severance Children’s Hospital, Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134, Shinchon-dong, Seodaemoon-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Republic of Korea

    Young Seok Park, Kyu-Won Shim & Dong-Seok Kim

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Institute of Behavioral Sciences in medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134, Shinchon-dong, Seodaemoon-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Republic of Korea

    Soyong Eom

Authors
  1. Young Seok Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Soyong Eom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kyu-Won Shim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dong-Seok Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dong-Seok Kim.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Park, Y.S., Eom, S., Shim, KW. et al. Neurocognitive and psychological profiles in pediatric arachnoid cyst. Childs Nerv Syst 25, 1071–1076 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-009-0872-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-009-0872-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation