Article of the year award 2020: Long-term follow-up is needed in childhood brain tumours

The articles rewarded range from demographics to psychiatry, from psychology to education. They show the wide range of intelligence research. We now want to tell you a little more about each of the four recipients, in random order. This is number 3 out of 4.

The study from the area of neuropsychology describes ground-breaking longitudinal research on 50 children, adolescents and adults who have been treated for malignant brain tumors in childhood at Oslo University Hospital. The study examined long term consequences of the tumor and its treatment for cognitive functions, including intelligence. Majority of the survivors had IQ within the age-expected range. Still, cognitive functioning varied considerably in the studied group, especially when patients had multiple secondary complications. This study demonstrated the importance of long-term following of neuropsychological functioning after the treatment of brain tumor to ensure the early implementation of appropriate interventions when needed.

Kristine Stadskleiv is a psychologist with specializations in neuropsychology and rehabilitation. She works at the Department of Special Needs Education at the University of Oslo, Norway, and at the Department for Clinical Neurosciences for Children at Oslo University Hospital. In her research she has focused upon understanding the consequences of cognitive impairments resulting from inborn and acquired brain injuries, with a special focus upon children with cerebral palsy and survivors of brain tumors. Her research also focuses upon how to best assist and assess children and adults needing augmentative and alternative communication.