Neuronal Damage, Neurocognitive Losses and Quality of Life Following High-Dose Chemotherapy in Children with Brain Tumors

For those who survive brain tumors, neurocognitive deficits are common in the areas of memory, problem-solving and planning. These deficits have been linked not only to poor educational attainment, but also to behavioral and social difficulties, all of which may contribute to poor quality of life. There is some evidence that chemotherapy alone may contribute to cognitive effects in patients, but there is little research in the area of these effects in children treated in this manner for brain tumors. The overall objective of this study is to determine whether children treated with high-dose chemotherapy for brain tumors will display key areas of white matter and gray matter injury due to this treatment, which results in deficits in cognitive functioning and decreased quality of life.