Brain Tumors and Effect on Cognitive Functions : Memory, Perception, Attention (Clinical Study)

Abstract

This study aims to understand the nature of cognitive disorders associated with brain tumors through an in-depth analysis of case studies, focusing on cognitive performance in three areas of brain function.  Brain tumors directly affect an individual’s performance of various ognitive tasks.  The most prominent of these effects are memory impairment, attention deficits, and perceptual difficulties. The pattern of cognitive disorders in female patients with brain tumors was analyzed, and the relationship between the location of the tumor in the brain and the nature of the disorder in each cognitive domain was revealed.  We used the clinical approach with case study technique as  the  most  appropriate  for  analyzing  complex  psychological  phenomena  in  their  natural  context,  especially  in  individual  neurological  cases,  by  studying  three  cases  selected  according  to  specific  clinical  and  diagnostic  criteria.  The study tools, including the Wechsler Memory Test, the Stroop Test, interviews, and observation, contributed to obtaining data on the cognitive performance and personal context of each case, yielding the following results:  clear  disturbances  in  working  and  visual  memory.  Difficulties in selective attention and cognitive inhibition, according to the Stroop test results. General cognitive slowing and decline in mental processing efficiency. It also showed variation in the severity of disorders depending on the location of the tumor, reinforcing the effect of brain structure on cognitive performance.  Therefore, brain tumors negatively affect basic cognitive functions, especially memory, attention, and perception.