Computer-based assessment of cognitive functions in brain tumor patients

J Neurooncol. 2010 Dec;100(3):427-37. doi: 10.1007/s11060-010-0194-9. Epub 2010 May 7.

Abstract

NeuroCogFX is a short yet comprehensive computer-based neuropsychological battery of tests developed to investigate neurological patients for cognitive dysfunction after potentially neurotoxic therapy. NeuroCogFX had been standardized in a group of 242 healthy controls (Fliessbach et al., Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 74:643-650, 2006). The present study was conducted to assess the practicability, reliability, and validity of NeuroCogFX in brain tumor patients without active disease after tumor-directed therapy. To evaluate its validity, neuropsychological testing with NeuroCogFX was completed parallel to a battery of established neuropsychological tests in 54 patients with different types of brain tumors and without active disease for at least 6 months. Retest reliability was assessed in a different sample of 49 patients with gliomas. Results showed good practicability with a median test duration of 28 min (range 16-51 min). Most subtests showed medium-sized retest reliability in healthy controls and tumor patients, with the exception of the 2-back test and reaction time measures in tumor patients. Convergent validity was confirmed for the domains psychomotor speed, verbal memory, and verbal short-term memory. NeuroCogFX enables serial scientific neuropsychological assessment of brain tumor patients. It can be carried out within a short period of time by non-academic personnel and is therefore applicable to large cohorts, e.g., within clinical trials.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brain Neoplasms / classification
  • Brain Neoplasms / complications*
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology*
  • Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Neuropsychological Tests*
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Reference Values
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Young Adult