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RESEARCH PRODUCT

NCOG-03. PERSONALITY TRAITS IN PATIENTS WITH NEUROEPITHELIAL TUMORS – A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

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Aim of this study was to analyze personality traits in patients with neuroepithelial brain tumors. Personality alteration is a common feature in brain tumor patients, but not much is known about associations between specific personality changes and brain tumors. We assessed potential factors influencing personality such as tumor location, tumor grade and tumor volume and compared them with neuropsychological tests. 73 patients with intrinsic brain tumors were included in this prospective study. Pre- and postoperatively and 3 and 9 months after surgery, the following data were acquired: mini-mental state examination (MMSE), short form health survey (SF-36), Beck’s Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) for the five factors of personality (openness, agreeableness, neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness). Patients with intrinsic brain tumors showed lower scores regarding the factor openness and a decrease of conscientiousness over time compared to the norm population. No significant influencing factors (tumor entity, location) were found regarding personality traits; just a slight correlation between tumor volume and the factor openness was observed. Compared to the normal population, brain tumor patients had higher scores of BDI-II, with a significant preference for women and KPS. Neuroticism was associated with depression and lower mental health, whereas conscientiousness and extraversion show an opposed association. Patients with intrinsic brain tumors have differences in personality traits compared to the control population, with an emphasis on the factor openness. No significant confounding factors like tumor grade, entity, or location were found for personality traits.