• Fabio Campanella, Alvisa Palese, Fabio Del Missier, Renzo Moreale, Tamara Ius, Tim Shallice, Franco Fabbro, and Miran Skrap.
• Neurosurgery Unit, Presidio Ospedaliero Universitario "S. Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy; Department of Human Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy. Electronic address: campanella.fabio@asuiud.sanita.fvg.it.
• World Neurosurg. 2017 Jul 1; 103: 799-808.e9.

ObjectiveThe aim of this work is to provide an in-depth investigation of the impact of low-grade gliomas (LGG) and their surgery on patients' cognitive and emotional functioning and well-being, carried out via a comprehensive and multiple-measure psychological and neuropsychological assessment.Patients And MethodsFifty surgically treated patients with LGG were evaluated 40 months after surgery on their functioning over 6 different cognitive domains, 3 core affective/emotional aspects, and 3 different psychological well-being measures to obtain a clearer picture of the long-term impact of illness and surgery on their psychological and relational world. Close relatives were also involved to obtain an independent measure of the psychological dimensions investigated.ResultsCognitive status was satisfactory, with only mild short-term memory difficulties. The affective and well-being profile was characterized by mild signs of depression, good satisfaction with life and psychological well-being, and good personality development, with patients perceiving themselves as stronger and better persons after illness. However, patients showed higher emotional reactivity, and psychological well-being measures were negatively affected by epileptic burden. Well-being was related to positive affective/emotional functioning and unrelated to cognitive functioning. Good agreement between patients and relatives was found.ConclusionsIn the long-term, patients operated on for LGG showed good cognitive functioning, with no significant long-term cognitive sequelae for the extensive surgical approach. Psychologically, patients appear to experience a deep psychological change and maturation, closely resembling that of so-called posttraumatic growth, which, to our knowledge, is for the first time described and quantified in patients with LGG.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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