NCOG-51. Dysexecutive syndrome in patients with gliomas of the supplementary motor area

BACKGROUND The supplementary motor area (SMA) is a prevalent site for glioma occurrence. This brain region not only regulates movement but also plays a role in several cognitive tasks, including executive functions, however research on this subject remains limited. The present study aimed to assess executive functions and evaluate clinical variables that may influence the results. METHODS The study included 58 patients with gliomas of the SMA (31 women and 27 men, aged M=42,6; SD=12,7) and a control group of 57 healthy individuals (33 women and 24 men, aged M=41,9; SD=13,6). Participants were examined with neuropsychological tests: Stroop Test, Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), Tower of London Test (TOL), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). RESULTS Significant differences were found in intergroup comparisons of each test. Moreover, the results of individual TOL and WCST indicators correlated significantly with the volume of tumor (TOL: extra moves p<0,01; time p<0,01; errors p<0,05; WCST: errors p<0,05; conceptual responses p<0,05). The comparison of patients with tumors in the left and right hemispheres revealed differences in VFT (switching p<0,01) and TOL (extra moves p<0,05) performance, with those having right SMA tumors performing worse. There were also differences in the performance of VFT (semantic p<0,01; phonemic p<0,05) and TOL (time p<0,05) to the disadvantage of patients who had epileptic seizures compared to those who did not. Moreover, we found some between-group differences based on tumor malignancy. Patients with grade 2 gliomas scored higher than those with grade 3 in extra moves of TOL (p<0,05) and than those with grade 4 in extra moves (p<0,05) and errors (p<0,01) of TOL. CONCLUSIONS Gliomas in the SMA are associated with executive dysfunctions, influenced by tumor volume, lateralization, seizure presence, and malignancy grade, underscoring the SMA’s involvement in higher-order cognitive processes.