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Self- and informant-rated apathy in patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma

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Abstract

Introduction

The current study aimed to assess whether childhood-onset craniopharyngioma patients suffer from symptoms of apathy, as assessed by patients themselves and their close others. We further analyzed whether apathy scores are related to symptoms of depression.

Methods

Childhood-onset craniopharyngioma patients (n = 35, 16 female, median age = 22) and matched healthy controls (n = 35, 19 female, median age = 21) were asked to complete self-ratings of the Apathy Evaluation Scale, whereas informant-ratings were obtained from their close others. Depression was assessed by self-ratings using the German version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. As primary outcome measures, self- and informant-rated apathy scores were compared between patients and healthy controls. As secondary outcome measures, differences between self- and informant-rated apathy within the single groups and associations between apathy and depression were analyzed.

Results

Compared to healthy controls, patients displayed significantly higher apathy levels in informant-ratings (medianpatients = 18, mediancontrols = 12, p = .021), but not in self-ratings (medianpatients = 11, mediancontrols =12, p = .68). In patients, there was a significant discrepancy between self- and informant-rated apathy and self-rated apathy was related to symptoms of depression.

Conclusions

This is the first study to show that childhood-onset craniopharyngioma patients may be at high risk for apathy. Noteworthy, apathy levels in the patient group were judged to be high by their close others but not by the patients themselves, indicating that many patients were not fully aware of their impairments. As apathy is associated with numerous adverse outcomes affecting everyday life and vocational opportunities, future investigations are needed to identify specific risk factors for apathy.

Clinical Trial Registration No: NCT00258453.

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Abbreviations

CP:

Craniopharyngioma

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Saskia Sauer for helping in the collection and analysis of data.

Disclosure

The authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.

Funding

This work was funded by a Grant (DKS2014.13) of the German Childhood Cancer Foundation, Bonn, Germany and a Grant (Forschungspool) of the European Medical School, Oldenburg, Germany.

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Author notes

  1. Aylin Mehren and Jale Özyurt shared first-authorship. Both authors have contributed equally to the planning of the underlying study and the completion of this manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biological Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, European Medical School, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany

    Aylin Mehren, Jale Özyurt, Paula zu Klampen & Christiane M. Thiel

  2. Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Hospital Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany

    Aylin Mehren

  3. Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Klinikum Oldenburg AöR, Medical Campus University Oldenburg, 26133, Oldenburg, Germany

    Svenja Boekhoff & Hermann L. Müller

  4. Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany

    Christiane M. Thiel

  5. Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany

    Christiane M. Thiel

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  1. Aylin Mehren
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Mehren, A., Özyurt, J., zu Klampen, P. et al. Self- and informant-rated apathy in patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma. J Neurooncol 140, 27–35 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-018-2936-z

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