Cognitive phenotypes: Unraveling the heterogeneity in cognitive dysfunction among patients with primary brain tumors receiving radiotherapy

• Published in: Neuro-oncology (Charlottesville, Va.) Va.), 2024-09
• Main Authors: Reyes, Anny, Stasenko, Alena, Hopper, Austin, Kohli, Jiwandeep S, Helm, Jonathan L, Salans, Mia, Prabhakaran, Divya, Kamalyan, Lily, Wilkinson, Molly, Unnikrishnan, Soumya, Karunamuni, Roshan, Hattangadi-Gluth, Jona, McDonald, Carrie R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1522-8517; 1523-5866; 1523-5866
• DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noae183

Patients with primary brain tumors demonstrate heterogeneous patterns of cognitive dysfunction, which we explore using latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify cognitive phenotypes and their trajectories in patients receiving radiotherapy (RT). Ninety-six patients completed neuropsychological testing before and post-RT (3, 6, 12-months) on a prospective longitudinal trial, including measures of processing speed, executive function, language, and verbal and visual memory. Models with 2-4 classes were examined. Demographic and clinical data were examined across phenotypes and post-RT cognitive change was evaluated. The optimal model identified three unique cognitive phenotypes including a group of patients with generalized impairments (11.5%), a group with isolated verbal memory impairments (21.9%), and a group with minimal impairments (66.7%). The Verbal Memory phenotype had fewer years of education (p=.007) and a greater proportion of males (p