Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Sep 17;27(8):2182-2193.
doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noaf083.

Characterizing long-term neurocognitive outcomes through diffusion tensor imaging in childhood brain tumor survivors

Ryan T Oglesby  1 , Chathurangi H Pathiravasan  2 , Elizabeth Olatunji  1 , Leslie Chang  1 , Jill Chotiyanonta  3 , Yuto Uchida  3 , Junghoon Lee  1 , Kenichi Oishi  4   3 , Rachel K Peterson  5   6 , Sahaja Acharya  1
Affiliations

Characterizing long-term neurocognitive outcomes through diffusion tensor imaging in childhood brain tumor survivors

Ryan T Oglesby et al. Neuro Oncol. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can probe the longitudinal microstructural integrity and development of the brain. This study characterizes the relationship between long-term neurocognition and changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of the corpus callosum and hippocampus in childhood brain tumor survivors.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with a brain tumor at <18 years of age with ≥2 neurocognitive assessments retrospectively paired with DTI were eligible. Multitrajectory modeling clustered patients into distinct neurocognitive trajectories based on intelligent quotient, Processing Speed Index and working memory. Linear mixed models were used to determine whether patient clusters were associated with change in MD and FA. Patient clusters were compared to healthy subjects.

Results: From 2014 to 2022, 68 patients with 464 neurocognitive assessments paired with DTI and 80 healthy subjects were included. Multitrajectory modeling identified two patient clusters: (1) low-performance, with declining scores below the normative mean, and (2) normal performance. Compared to the low-performance group, the normal-performance group demonstrated greater increase in FA and greater decrease in MD within the corpus callosum and hippocampus, respectively. This pattern was consistent across multiple white matter tracts, highlighting global differences between the groups. Directional change of FA and MD observed in healthy subjects mirrored that of the normal-performance group, but was opposite to that of the low-performance group.

Conclusion: Compared to the normal-performance group, the low-performance group demonstrated reduced white matter microstructural integrity and higher mean diffusivity in the hippocampus over time, opposite to what is observed in normally developing children. This suggests aberrant neurodevelopment may contribute to late-neurocognitive impairment.

Keywords: brain tumor; diffusion tensor imaging; neurocognitive impairment.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Mabbott DJ, Penkman L, Witol A, Strother D, Bouffet E.. Core neurocognitive functions in children treated for posterior fossa tumors. Neuropsychology. 2008;22(2):159–168. - PubMed
    1. Schatz J, Kramer JH, Ablin A, Matthay KK.. Processing speed, working memory, and IQ: a developmental model of cognitive deficits following cranial radiation therapy. Neuropsychology. 2000;14(2):189–200. - PubMed
    1. Siegwart V, Benzing V, Spitzhuettl J, et al. Cognition, psychosocial functioning, and health-related quality of life among childhood cancer survivors. Neuropsychol Rehabil. 2022;32(6):922–945. - PubMed
    1. Acharya S, Guo Y, Patni T, et al. Association between brain substructure dose and cognitive outcomes in children with medulloblastoma treated on SJMB03: a step toward substructure-informed planning. J Clin Oncol. 2021;40(1):83–95. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Acharya S, Wu S, Ashford JM, et al. Association between hippocampal dose and memory in survivors of childhood or adolescent low-grade glioma: a 10-year neurocognitive longitudinal study. Neuro Oncol. 2019;21(9):1175–1183. - PMC - PubMed