Hydrocephalus as a possible additional contributor to cognitive outcome in survivors of pediatric medulloblastoma
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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Modeling Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus of Prematurity in Rats
Published on: March 28, 2025
Kristina K Hardy1, Melanie J Bonner, Victoria W Willard
1Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Durham, NC 27710, USA. hardy017@mc.duke.edu
Objectives:
The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between shunted hydrocephalus and intellectual, memory and academic functioning in a group of survivors of pediatric medulloblastoma.
Methods:
Data from measures of cognitive, memory, academic and visual-motor functioning were gathered retrospectively from 35 survivors. Of these survivors, 10 (28.6%) required ventriculoperitoneal-shunt placement for hydrocephalus posttumor resection.
Results:
Results revealed that participants with shunted hydrocephalus demonstrated significantly lower IQs, lower nonverbal intellectual functioning, lower academic skills in writing and math, and impairments in visual-motor abilities when compared with those without shunt.
Conclusions:
These results highlight the need to explore other variables--in addition to radiation and chemotherapy--as risk factors for neurocognitive impairments in survivors. Furthermore, identification of physiological substrates underlying these deficits is needed.
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