Premium
Visual short‐term memory activation patterns in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Author(s) -
BouletCraig Aubree,
Robaey Philippe,
Barlaam Fanny,
Laniel Julie,
Oswald Victor,
Jerbi Karim,
Sultan Serge,
AffretBertout Laurence,
Drouin Simon,
Krajinovic Maja,
Laverdière Caroline,
Sinnett Daniel,
Jolicoeur Pierre,
Lippé Sarah
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.32374
Subject(s) - neurocognitive , supramarginal gyrus , lingual gyrus , medicine , postcentral gyrus , precentral gyrus , audiology , neuroscience , middle frontal gyrus , magnetoencephalography , cognition , functional magnetic resonance imaging , psychology , psychiatry , magnetic resonance imaging , electroencephalography , radiology
Background Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer. Treatments against ALL might lead to later cognitive effects and alterations in brain structure in survivors but to the authors' knowledge the observed variability in the severity of neurocognitive deficits is not fully understood. The objective of the current study was to investigate abnormalities in visual short‐term memory (VSTM) brain activation in survivors of childhood ALL using magnetoencephalography. Methods A VSTM task was completed by 40 survivors of ALL and 26 controls. VSTM capacity (Cowan K) and brain activation were assessed during the retention period of the task (400‐1400 milliseconds) using a standard minimum norm source localization method. Results Performance (Cowan K) was found to be similar between survivors of ALL and controls. Atypical brain activation was found in survivors of ALL during the task, including overactivation of regions usually involved in VSTM (lateral occipital, precentral gyrus, and postcentral gyrus), recruitment of regions that typically are not involved in VSTM (superior/middle temporal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus), and lower activation of frontal brain regions (inferior frontal gyrus). These patterns of activation were modulated by the age at the time of cancer onset ( P = .01) because activity was found to be reduced in participants who were younger at diagnosis. Conclusions The results of the current study suggest a pattern of neural inefficiency and compensatory activity during VSTM in survivors of ALL.