[Psychiatric disorders in temporal lobe gliomas]

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Neurology
• Psychiatry

Context:

• Temporal lobe gliomas represent up to one-third of all hemispheric gliomas.
• Psychiatric disorders are common manifestations of temporal lobe lesions, sometimes presenting as the sole symptom.
• Temporal lobe gliomas exhibit diverse psychopathologic and epileptic signs compared to other tumor localizations.

Purpose:

• To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of psychiatric disorders in a cohort of 140 patients with temporal lobe tumors.
• To analyze the influence of tumor side, localization, histology, and patient's functional asymmetry (handedness) on psychiatric manifestations.
• To assess the long-term impact of surgical tumor removal on psychiatric disorders.

Summary:

• Psychiatric disorders were identified in 74% of patients with temporal lobe tumors, predominantly in glioblastomas.
• Psychopathologic symptoms were more prevalent in left-sided lesions and significantly more frequent in left-handed individuals compared to right-handers.
• Post-surgical follow-up revealed no significant difference in the frequency of psychiatric disorders after two years.

Impact:

• Highlights the significant association between temporal lobe gliomas and psychiatric disturbances, emphasizing the need for psychiatric evaluation in these patients.
• Suggests that lesion side and patient handedness are crucial factors influencing psychiatric symptom presentation in temporal lobe gliomas.
• Indicates that while psychiatric symptoms are common, surgical intervention may not lead to a significant long-term reduction in their frequency.