Known symptoms in patients with a brain tumor are muscle weakness and language disorders. In addition, they experience depressive feelings more often than patients with other tumors. "Remarkably, there are also people with brain tumors who lack the very feelings you would expect," says neurosurgeon Philip de Witt Hamer. He and fellow researchers Maisa van Genderen and Vera Belgers wanted to know why these diverse mood disorders are more common in patients with brain tumors.
Mammalian brain
The researchers observed that gliomas (brain tumors) located in the limbic part of the brain, also called the mammalian brain, related to mood disorders. This may explain why people with brain tumors often experience feelings of depression or indifference. "We suspect that the presence of tumor in this brain region directly affects emotions, causing depressive feelings or, on the contrary, lack of feelings." De Witt Hamer continued: "A growing brain tumor probably influences emotions differently than other brain disorders, such as stroke."
Informing patients better
This insight can be important for patient education and neurosurgical decision making. "We meet patients with a variety of emotions surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of a brain tumor. By explaining that the tumor is the cause of these feelings, partners, friends and family are better able to talk about it. 'It's the tumor that makes you feel this way, that makes you behave differently.’ That already provides relief. Perhaps education and advice to patients and their loved ones will help them cope," De Witt Hamer believes.
Prof. Dr. Philip de Witt Hamer, Neurosurgeon & professor of Translational Neuro-oncology at Amsterdam UMC
Further research is needed to confirm causal links and to understand how gliomas affect brain regions exactly.
Read the full article in Nature Mental Health