Personality measures after gamma ventral capsulotomy in intractable OCD.

BACKGROUND: Neurosurgeries such as gamma ventral capsulotomy (GVC) are an option for otherwise intractable obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. In general, clinical and neuropsychological status both improve after GVC. However, its consequences on personality traits are not well-studied. The objective of this study was to investigate personality changes after one year of GVC in intractable OCD patients. METHODS: The personality assessment was conducted using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) and Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in 14 intractable OCD patients before and one year after GVC. Comparisons of personality features between treatment responders (n=5) and non-responders (n=9) were performed. Multiple linear regression was also used for predicting changes in clinical and global functioning variables. RESULTS: Overall, no deleterious effect was found in personality after GVC. Responders had a reduction in neuroticism (p=0.043) and an increase in extraversion (p=0.043). No significant changes were observed in non-responders. Increases in novelty seeking and self-directedness, and decreases in persistence and cooperativiness predicted OCD symptom improvement. Similary, improvement in functioning was also predicted by hgher novelty seeking and self-directedness after GVC, whereas better functioning was also associated with lower reward dependence and cooperativeness after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of changes in personality traits after GVC was generally towards that observed in nonclinical population, and does not raise safety concerns.

Performance of adjuvant treatment correlates with survival in reoperated glioblastomas.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze cases of recurrent glioblastoma subjected to reoperation at a Brazilian public healthcare service. METHODS: A total of 39 patients subjected to reoperation for recurrent glioblastoma at the Department of Neurosurgery, São Paulo Hospital, Federal University of São Paulo, from January 2000 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The median overall survival was 20 months (95% confidence interval - CI = 14.9-25.2), and the median survival after reoperation was 9.1 months (95%CI: 2.8-15.4). The performance of adjuvant treatment after the first operation was the single factor associated with overall survival on multivariate analysis (relative risk - RR = 0.3; 95%CI = 0.2-0.7); p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The length of survival of patients subjected to reoperation for glioblastoma at a Brazilian public healthcare service was similar to the length reported in the literature. Reoperation should be considered as a therapeutic option for selected patients.

Visuospatial Memory Improvement after Gamma Ventral Capsulotomy in Treatment Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Patients.

Gamma ventral capsulotomy (GVC) radiosurgery is intended to minimize side effects while maintaining the efficacy of traditional thermocoagulation techniques for the treatment of refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Neuropsychological outcomes are not clear based on previous studies and, therefore, we investigated the effects of GVC on cognitive and motor performance. A double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with 16 refractory OCD patients allocated to active treatment (n=8) and sham (n=8) groups. A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation including intellectual functioning, attention, verbal and visuospatial learning and memory, visuospatial perception, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and motor functioning was applied at baseline and one year after the procedure. Secondary analysis included all operated patients: eight from the active group, four from the sham group who were submitted to surgery after blind was broken, and five patients from a previous open pilot study (n=5), totaling 17 patients. In the RCT, visuospatial memory (VSM) performance significantly improved in the active group after GVC (p=0.008), and remained stable in the sham group. Considering all patients operated, there was no decline in cognitive or motor functioning after one year of follow-up. Our initial results after 1 year of follow-up suggests that GVC not only is a safe procedure in terms of neuropsychological functioning but in fact may actually improve certain neuropsychological domains, particularly VSM performance, in treatment refractory OCD patients.

Hoarding symptoms and prediction of poor response to limbic system surgery for treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder.

UNLABELLED: OBJECT.: Recent findings have suggested a correlation between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom dimensions and clinical outcome after limbic system surgery for treatment-refractory patients. Based on previous evidence that the hoarding dimension is associated with worse outcome in conventional treatments, and may have a neural substrate distinct from OCD, the authors examined a large sample of patients undergoing limbic surgery (40 with capsulotomy, 37 with cingulotomy) and investigated if symptom dimensions, in particular hoarding, could influence treatment outcome. METHODS: Data from 77 patients from 3 different research centers at São Paulo (n = 17), Boston (n = 37), and Stockholm (n = 23) were analyzed. Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS; São Paulo) or Y-BOCS Symptom Checklist scores (Boston and Stockholm) were used to code the presence of 4 well-established symptom dimensions: forbidden thoughts, contamination/cleaning, symmetry/order, and hoarding. Reductions in YBOCS scores determined clinical outcome. RESULTS: Mean Y-BOCS scores decreased 34.2% after surgery (95% CI 27.2%-41.3%), with a mean follow-up of 68.1 months. Patients with hoarding symptoms had a worse response to treatment (mean Y-BOCS decrease of 22.7% ± 25.9% vs 41.6% ± 32.2%, respectively; p = 0.006), with no significant effect of surgical modality (capsulotomy vs cingulotomy). Patients with forbidden thoughts apparently also had a worse response to treatment, but this effect was dependent upon the co-occurrence of the hoarding dimension. Only the negative influence of the hoarding dimension remained when an ANOVA model was performed, which also controlled for preoperative symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of hoarding symptoms prior to surgery was associated with worse clinical outcome after the interventions. Patients with OCD under consideration for ablative surgery should be carefully screened for hoarding symptoms or comorbid hoarding disorder. For these patients, the potentially reduced benefits of surgery need to be carefully considered against potential risks.

Gamma ventral capsulotomy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

IMPORTANCE: Select cases of intractable obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have undergone neurosurgical ablation for more than half a century. However, to our knowledge, there have been no randomized clinical trials of such procedures for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and safety of a radiosurgery (gamma ventral capsulotomy [GVC]) for intractable OCD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, 16 patients with intractable OCD were randomized to active (n = 8) or sham (n = 8) GVC. Blinding was maintained for 12 months. After unblinding, sham-group patients were offered active GVC. INTERVENTIONS: Patients randomized to active GVC had 2 distinct isocenters on each side irradiated at the ventral border of the anterior limb of the internal capsule. The patients randomized to sham GVC received simulated radiosurgery using the same equipment. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) Scale. Response was defined as a 35% or greater reduction in Y-BOCS severity and "improved" or "much improved" CGI-I ratings. RESULTS: Three of 8 patients randomized to active treatment responded at 12 months, while none of the 8 sham-GVC patients responded (absolute risk reduction, 0.375; 95% CI, 0.04-0.71). At 12 months, OCD symptom improvement was significantly higher in the active-GVC group than in the sham group (Y-BOCS, P = .046; Dimensional Y-BOCS, P = .01). At 54 months, 2 additional patients in the active group had become responders. Of the 4 sham-GVC patients who later received active GVC, 2 responded by post-GVC month 12. The most serious adverse event was an asymptomatic radiation-induced cyst in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Gamma ventral capsulotomy benefitted patients with otherwise intractable OCD and thus appears to be an alternative to deep-brain stimulation in selected cases. Given the risks inherent in any psychiatric neurosurgery, such procedures should be conducted at specialized centers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01004302.

Performance of adjuvant treatment correlates with survival in reoperated glioblastomas / Uso de tratamento adjuvante é relacionado ao aumento da sobrevida em pacientes com glioblastoma submetidos à reoperação

ABSTRACT Objective To analyze cases of recurrent glioblastoma subjected to reoperation at a Brazilian public healthcare service. Methods A total of 39 patients subjected to reoperation for recurrent glioblastoma at the Department of Neurosurgery, São Paulo Hospital, Federal University of São Paulo, from January 2000 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Results The median overall survival was 20 months (95% confidence interval – CI = 14.9–25.2), and the median survival after reoperation was 9.1 months (95%CI: 2.8–15.4). The performance of adjuvant treatment after the first operation was the single factor associated with overall survival on multivariate analysis (relative risk – RR = 0.3; 95%CI = 0.2–0.7); p = 0.005). Conclusion The length of survival of patients subjected to reoperation for glioblastoma at a Brazilian public healthcare service was similar to the length reported in the literature. Reoperation should be considered as a therapeutic option for selected patients.

RESUMO Objetivo Analisar o papel da reoperação em pacientes com glioblastoma recidivado em um serviço público no Brasil. Métodos Foram analisados retrospectivamente 39 pacientes submetidos à reoperação por recorrência de glioblastoma no Departamento de Neurocirurgia da Universidade Federal de São Paulo, no período de janeiro de 2000 até dezembro de 2013. Resultados A sobrevida global mediana foi de 20 meses (IC 95% = 14.9–25.2), e a sobrevida mediana após a reoperação foi de 9.1 meses (IC 95% = 2.8–15.4). A realização de tratamento adjuvante após a primeira cirurgia foi o único fator associado com a sobrevida global numa análise multivariada (RR = 0.3; IC 95% = 0.2–0.7; p = 0.005). Conclusão A sobrevida dos pacientes submetidos à reoperação em um serviço público no Brasil é semelhante à reportada pela literatura. A reoperação deve ser considerada como uma opção terapêutica em pacientes selecionados.

Radiosurgery for pituitary adenomas: evaluation of its efficacy and safety.

OBJECT: To assess the effects of radiosurgery (RS) on the radiological and hormonal control and its toxicity in the treatment of pituitary adenomas. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 42 patients out of the first 48 consecutive patients with pituitary adenomas treated with RS between 1999 and 2008 with a 6 months minimum follow-up. RS was delivered with Gamma Knife as a primary or adjuvant treatment. There were 14 patients with non-secretory adenomas and, among functioning adenomas, 9 were prolactinomas, 9 were adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting and 10 were growth hormone-secreting tumors. Hormonal control was defined as hormonal response (decline of more than 50% from the pre-RS levels) and hormonal normalization. Radiological control was defined as stasis or shrinkage of the tumor. Hypopituitarism and visual deficit were the morbidity outcomes. Hypopituitarism was defined as the initiation of any hormone replacement therapy and visual deficit as loss of visual acuity or visual field after RS. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 42 months (6-109 months). The median dose was 12,5 Gy (9 - 15 Gy) and 20 Gy (12 - 28 Gy) for non-secretory and secretory adenomas, respectively. Tumor growth was controlled in 98% (41 in 42) of the cases and tumor shrinkage occurred in 10% (4 in 42) of the cases. The 3-year actuarial rate of hormonal control and normalization were 62,4% and 37,6%, respectively, and the 5-year actuarial rate were 81,2% and 55,4%, respectively. The median latency period for hormonal control and normalization was, respectively, 15 and 18 months. On univariate analysis, there were no relationships between median dose or tumoral volume and hormonal control or normalization. There were no patients with visual deficit and 1 patient had hypopituitarism after RS. CONCLUSIONS: RS is an effective and safe therapeutic option in the management of selected patients with pituitary adenomas. The short latency of the radiation response, the highly acceptable radiological and hormonal control and absence of complications at this early follow-up are consistent with literature.

Melanoma maligno do ângulo ponto cerebelar de origem primária desconhecida / Cerebellopontile angle malignant melanoma of unknown primary site origin

E apresentado um caso de um paciente de 58 anos com síndrome clínico da regiäo do ângulo ponto cerebelae causado por melanoma isolado. Ocupando toda a regiäo e infiltrando superficialmente o hemisfério cerebelar esquerdo, aderia fortemente à leptomeninge e aos pares crânicos da hemi-fossa posterior esquerda.