Attention and memory functioning among pediatric patients with medulloblastoma

Abstract

Objective: To test the hypotheses that memory and attention deficits are prevalent in survivors of childhood medulloblastoma (MB) and that these deficits are associated with problems with academic achievement. Methods: The medical charts of 38 child survivors of MB, who were administered the California Verbal Learning Test, Child Version (CVLT-C), Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) as part of a comprehensive neurocognitive test battery, were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Although no significant verbal memory deficits were found, 8 of 11 CPT variables were significantly below the standardization mean (p ≤ .01). Additionally, stepwise regression analyses found that increased omission errors were significantly associated with lower reading and math performance (p ≤ .01). Conclusions: These findings confirm previous reports of attention deficits among survivors of MB and provide a better understanding of how the dysfunction of particular attentional substrates (e.g., perceptual sensitivity, response bias) may result in learning problems in this population. © The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved.