Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in Adults with High-Grade Glioma: A Literature Review and Findings in a Group of Patients before Chemoradiotherapy and One Year Later

Abstract

High-grade glioma (HGG) is associated with several external and internal stressors that may induce mood alterations at all stages of the disease. Symptoms of depression and anxiety in persons with glioma have multifactorial etiology and require active follow-up. We reviewed the literature data on the prevalence, mechanisms likely involved in the etiology of mood alterations in persons with HGG and psychosocial interventions found beneficial in treating these symptoms. We also investigated the prevalence and clinical variables that could increase the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms in a group of patients with HGG at two disease time-points: after surgery, before and 1 year after chemoradiotherapy. Literature findings revealed complex mechanisms underlying these symptoms and highlighted the importance of providing early access to palliative care. Our results show a high rate of anxiety and depression symptoms in the first stage of the disease and increased concomitance of these symptoms at the 1-year follow-up. Depression and anxiety symptoms at 1 year after the end of chemoradiotherapy were associated with the presence of symptoms at the first stage of the disease and tumor progression. Antiepileptic drugs and corticosteroid intake did not increase the risk of depressive and anxious symptoms among patients. Active management of mood alterations is an essential part of the care and contributes to patients’ well-being and quality of life.

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumor: A neuropsychological comparison with intra‐axial tumor

“… 11 Regarding glioma, previous studies reported memory and executive deficits in patients with frontal glioma, 34 , 35 impaired empathy ability in those with insular glioma, 36 verbal working memory deficits in those with low‐grade glioma, 37 and anxiety and depression in those with high‐grade glioma. 38 Although each subtype has unique feature, our study mainly focuses on delineating the neuropsychological distinctions between PitNET and glioma patients. The aim is to facilitate the initial screening and assessment of neuropsychological status rather than individualized assessment.…”