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Effects of sleep disturbance on neuropsychological functioning in patients with pediatric brain tumor

  • Clinical Study
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Abstract

Purpose

While the effects of sleep on cognition in typically developing children are well established, there is a paucity of research in patients with pediatric brain tumor (PBT), despite their increased risk for sleep-related disturbances. The aim of this retrospective study was to examine the impact of sleep factors on patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures, including adaptive and executive functioning within this population.

Methods

133 patients with PBT (52% male) ages 5–23 (x̄ = 12.8 years; SD = 4.5 years) underwent neuropsychological evaluation, including assessment of adaptive and executive functioning. Subjective sleep concerns, nocturnal sleep duration, and daytime sleep behavior were also collected and compared to age-based guidelines.

Results

Nearly 30% of patients endorsed subjective sleep concerns, while the sample as a whole reported reduced nocturnal sleep duration (approximately one hour below age-based recommendations). Despite the expectation for monophasic sleep by age five, nearly half of the sample reported consistent daytime napping. Inadequate sleep predicted decreased adaptive functioning, F(1, 56) = 4.23, p = .022 (R2 = .07), as well as increased symptoms of executive dysfunction, F(1, 108) = 3.51, p = .003 (R2 = .03).

Conclusion

Patients with PBT demonstrate several aspects of abnormal sleep, which are associated with poorer long-term PROs. Further exploration of diagnostic, treatment-related, and demographic variables will be needed to better understand these relationships among patients with PBT in order to inform appropriate interventions.

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Data availability

Summary data supporting results reported in this article can be requested by emailing the senior author at awhitaker@chla.usc.edu.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Jenna A. Chiang, Paulina T. Feghali, Anita Saavedra & Ashley M. Whitaker

  2. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Jenna A. Chiang, Paulina T. Feghali, Anita Saavedra & Ashley M. Whitaker

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  1. Jenna A. Chiang
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  2. Paulina T. Feghali
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  3. Anita Saavedra
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  4. Ashley M. Whitaker
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Contributions

JAC and AMW designed the study. JAC and AS completed data collection. AMW performed statistical analyses. JAC, PTF, and AMW interpreted findings and prepared the manuscript. All authors approved final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ashley M. Whitaker.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.

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Chiang, J.A., Feghali, P.T., Saavedra, A. et al. Effects of sleep disturbance on neuropsychological functioning in patients with pediatric brain tumor. J Neurooncol 157, 129–135 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-022-03954-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-022-03954-4

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