Characteristics of Neurological Deficits in Intracranial Tumors: A Literature Review

Abstract

Intracranial tumors or brain tumors are abnormal masses in the cranium that can originate from central nervous system cells or from other histopathological types. Brain tumors account for 85% to 90% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Intracranial tumors have an incidence of 10-17 cases per 100,000 people. Clinical symptoms vary from one patient to another. The most common symptom is headache, followed by seizures, decreased consciousness, and motor and sensory neurological deficits. Other symptoms that may be found are neurological deficits (smell disturbances, visual disturbances, double vision, numbness or pain in the face, facial muscle weakness, hearing, swallowing, etc.) which are progressive and depend on the location of the tumor, seizures, cognitive decline, balance disorders and personality disorders. These signs and symptoms can be used to determine the location of the tumor before radiological investigations are carried out, according to the disturbed anatomical structure. Keywords: intracranial tumors, neurological deficits, supratentorial, infratentorial, suprainfratentorial