Social Cognition in Children Treated for a Brain Tumour

• Rationale: There is ample evidence that children treated for a brain tumour (BT) often develop deficits in social and emotional functioning. The investigators wish to examine the cause of these deficits, i.e. the underlying neuropsychological deficit(s). The following is expected:

• Children treated for a BT will perform worse than both healthy controls and patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) on measures of social cognition at Time 2 (3 years post diagnosis), but not at Time 1 (shortly after diagnosis, before neurotoxic treatment). The deterioration in performance will be influenced by the following adverse factors:

• History of cranial radiation therapy;
• Site of lesion in diencephalon;
• History of hydrocephalus and/or posterior fossa syndrome;
• Younger age at diagnosis.
• Parents and teachers will rate patients with a BT as being less socially competent and experiencing more internalizing problems than healthy controls and patients with CF at Time 2, but not at Time 1.
• Performance on tests of social cognition will be positively related to executive functions at Time 1 and 2.
• Performance on tests of social cognition will be positively related to parent and teacher reports of social competence and environmental biographic factors (parental education and occupation) at Time 1 and 2.
• Objective: To study impairment and developmental delay in social cognition (and related cognitive functions) caused by brain damage in patients treated for a BT in childhood as compared to a reference group of chronically ill children. The focus will be on the neurocognitive basis of such deficits.
• Study design: Comparative Non-randomised Prospective International Multi-Centre Study
• Study population: 49 Children treated for a BT aged 5-13 years, 32 children diagnosed with CF aged 5-13 years and 32 healthy controls aged 5-13 years.

Inclusion criteria

• Aged 5-13 years at first assessment (All groups)
• Newly diagnosed brain tumour patients that have not yet received adjuvant therapy (BT patients only)
• Stable medical condition (BT and CF patients only)

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosed with a disorder of the autistic spectrum (Autism, Asperger's Syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise specified - All groups) that does not seem to be related to the tumour (BT patients only).
• History of other brain disease or neurological condition interfering with normal development (All groups).
• No native Dutch speaker (All groups)
• Severe sensory handicaps and/or behavioural problems interfering with reliable neuropsychological assessment (All groups)
• IQ below 70 (All groups)
• Poor prognosis and life expectancy less than 1 year (BT patients only)