We evaluated the neuropsychological and personality profiles of 25 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia treated with interferon alfa (IFN-alpha). This group of persons performed well below expectation on tests of cognitive speed, verbal memory, and executive functions. Personality changes included depression, increased somatic concern, and stress reactions. A control group of leukemia patients not treated with IFN-alpha had significantly better cognitive speed and mood. The pattern of cognitive and personality changes in patients receiving IFN-alpha is highly suggestive of frontal-subcortical brain dysfunction.

This study examined cognitive and affective disturbances in patients with complicated (presence of space occupying lesion) vs uncomplicated (absence of space occupying lesion) mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). It was predicted that the complicated group would perform worse in both domains compared to the uncomplicated group. Participants were 28 patients admitted to an inpatient neurorehabilitation unit with mild TBI and assessed within 40 days of their injury. The complicated group (n = 14) was matched to the uncomplicated group (n = 14) on Glasgow Coma Scale score and compared to 14 normal controls on the BNI Screen for Higher Cerebral Functions (BNIS). The complicated group showed greater cognitive disturbances than the uncomplicated and control groups, while both TBI groups performed worse on affective measures. These findings document the role of affective disturbances in mild TBI. They also highlight the importance of early intervention strategies for improving affective communication in patients with mild TBI.

Oncology has experienced positive shifts in survival curves for many cancers largely due to the development of earlier diagnostics and better therapeutics. This has increased the visibility and need for survivorship services, including clinical neuropsychology. Patients with cancer frequently experience cognitive dysfunction related to the presence of cancer itself and treatment neurotoxicity. These cognitive difficulties can profoundly impact patient functioning and autonomy with accompanying declines in quality of life. Clinical neuropsychologists are uniquely positioned to evaluate the cognitive and affective sequelae of cancer and treatment and provide interventions and recommendations that can benefit well-being and potentially alter the disease course. Despite increasing recognition of the importance of neuropsychological issues to cancer survivorship, many neuropsychologists have limited training and guidance regarding navigating and implementing services within the oncology setting. This article provides the basic rationale for neuropsychological practice and research activities in oncology, as well as the experience of the Section of Neuropsychology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Isolated symmetric damage to the amygdala and their cortical connections occurred in an individual following cancer treatment. The lesions were imaged after reversal of hyponatremia. The patient displayed marked behavioral changes including visual agnosia, hypersexuality, hyperorality, a tendency to react to every visual stimulus, and memory deficits. The cluster of neurobehavioral symptoms is similar to previously reported accounts of Klüver-Bucy syndrome and suggests the importance of bilateral amygdala involvement in these behavioral changes.

Individual and familial historical data provide useful information concerning identification, pathogenesis, prevention, and treatments for vascular dementia but little predictive information for identifying patients with Alzheimer's disease.