Effects of having prefrontal cyste removed

[jmiller32]

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Hi!

This boy just found out he has a huge arachnoid cyst in his right prefrontal cortex, and is now scheduled to have it removed. What personality changes is he likely to experience?

Thank you!

John

 

[Head]

As long as they're able to shell the whole thing out without damaging surrounding brain, there will be no change in his personality whatsoever. The brain simply develops around different obstacles in its path. I've seen people with cysts occupying virtually an entire hemisphere with no noticeable neurologic deficits. Since those neurons are simply displaced, it's not like they're going to do anything different once the space occupying lesion is removed.

 

[jmiller32]

These people - did they ever have their cysts removed?

I've heard that people who've had their cysts removed have achieved higher cognitive function. Is there no truth to that?

John

 

[jmiller32]

I'm reading stuff like:

Patients with increased brain pressure often exhibit irritability and personality changes, notes the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University. As a brain cyst increases intracranial pressure, the tension squeezes the brain cells, or neurons, disrupting normal function. People with increased intracranial pressure caused by a brain cyst may become short-tempered, easily angered or uncharacteristically moody.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/246404-what-are-the-effects-of-a-cyst-on-the-brain
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The prevalence of arachnoid cysts (AC) is considerably increased in psychiatric patients, suggesting a possible causal relationship between AC and certain psychiatric disorders. Neurosurgery of AC in psychiatric disorders is, however, not recommended if no accompanying neurological symptoms or signs of increased intracranial pressure are present. In two cases of slow onset personality disorder in persons suffering from so-called asymptomatic AC, we performed AC neurosurgery beyond established rules. Both comparisons before and after neurosurgery of psychopathology and the following long-term course support in retrospect that both cases might be re-diagnosed as having suffered from 'minor' organic personality disorders before AC neurosurgery, which improved thereafter. The two cases did not initially appear to fulfill the established criteria for organic personality disorders either according to ICD-10 or DSM-IV, but in retrospect satisfied most criteria. In themselves, the personality disorders appeared not very severe, but had considerable relevance for the patients' lives. The established rules for AC neurosurgery should be reconsidered at least when therapy-resistant psychiatric disorders are observed in AC sufferers.

Read more: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20923720

A 48-year-old female presented with vertiginous feeling and behavior disturbance. Computed tomography showed an arachnoid cyst on the left cerebral convexity. Single photon emission computed tomography revealed decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the left frontal lobe. The Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised test demonstrated memory dysfunction. The arachnoid cyst was partially removed. Disturbances in CBF and behavior disappeared postoperatively. Local ischemia induced by compression due to arachnoid cyst may cause memory dysfunction and behavior disturbance. Neuropsychometric examination is useful for the evaluation of such symptoms.

Read more: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10892273

 

[neurodoc]

Hi!

This boy just found out he has a huge arachnoid cyst in his right prefrontal cortex, and is now scheduled to have it removed. What personality changes is he likely to experience?
Thank you!

John

Who the H*** knows? Did he have "personality changes" before the cyst was removed? If so, he may have these "changes" after removal. hard to say. Pre- and post-surgery neuropsych testing could answer the question.

 

[typhoonegator]

This is starting to sound a bit like a solicitation of medical advice about a personal problem. Will be monitoring closely.

 

[Mattchiavelli]

This is starting to sound a bit like a solicitation of medical advice about a personal problem. Will be monitoring closely.

This sounds a bit like the end of a consult note - not that there's anything wrong with that

In a very general patient-centered information sense, patients that are going to undergo elective surgery should be able to speak with their neurosurgeon about neuropsychological evaluation referral.