[Clinical-neuropsychological aspects of the adaptation of patients after the excision of craniopharyngioma in childhood].

: 40 patients aged 9-36 years were followed-up for at least 10 years after craniopharyngiomectomy. A combined neuropsychologic study according to A.R. Luria was carried out both for determination of the degree of psychic defects and for comparison with possibilities of adaptation. Symptoms of a damage of medio-basal regions of the frontal lobes and dyencephalic region were observed in all the patients. The frontal symptoms were decisive for social adaptation after the operation. The adaptation was worse in patients with more pronounced manifestations of frontal symptoms in involvement of medio-basal regions of the left frontal lobe accompanied by poor motivation and inertness. Patients with infact motivation and activity in the presence of dominant dysfunction of the medio-basal regions of the right frontal lobe appeared to be more adapted, even when there were pronounced disorders of vision and memory. The defects were compensated worse in patients operated early in childhood, with features of side cerebral dysfunction and in left-handers.