Attention and executive functions in microsurgically treated patients after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVES

This research aimed to assess attention and executive functions in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients.

METHODS

The prospective, controlled, longitudinal study was conducted. There were two groups of patients (SAH and lumbar microdiscectomy groups), and all of them were operated on by a single neurosurgeon (KD) in the same institution. Preoperatively, SAH patients were in the Hunt-Hess Grade I and II. They did not develop any focal neurological deficit or hydrocephalus postoperatively. The patients were tested in 2-time points: 15 and 45 days after microsurgery with a battery of tests and questioners consisting of the Trail Making Test, the Sustained Attention to Response Task, the Hayling Sentence Completion Test, The Attention/Concentration test of Attention, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (verbal part). Results between groups were compared (sex, age; years of education and verbal IQ).

RESULTS

It was found the presence of lower attention and executive function test scores in the SAH group of patients with a trend of improving during the time.

CONCLUSION

The detailed neuropsychological assessment of operated patients who sustained SAH and were without the focal neurological deficit postoperatively, showed declination in their attention and executive function with a trend of cognitive recovery as time passes by.