Os gliomas de vias ópticas (GVO) representam 5% dos tumores cerebrais pediátricos e geralmente aparecem histologicamente como astrocitomas de baixo grau. Por causa do curso imprevisto dos GVO, as opções de tratamento ainda são controversas, envolvendo vigilância, cirurgia, quimioterapia e radioterapia. Neste estudo, realizamos a análise volumétricas de gliomas de vias ópticas envolvendo as regiões óptico-quiasmáticas e hipotalâmica (GOQH) para comparar a evolução as neoplasias tratadas com e sem quimioterapia, comparando o volume e componentes das lesões. Foram analisados retrospectivamente 14 pacientes com (GOQH) que foram submetidos a Ressonância Magnética em nosso departamento de janeiro de 2000 a outubro de 2015. Um total de 45 RM de encéfalo foram incluídas, com uma média de 3,2 estudos/paciente. A avaliação das lesões foi realizada manualmente por um Neurorradiologista, usando o Software DISPLAY. Quatro destes pacientes eram portadores de NF-1. Oito foram tratados com quimioterapia, sendo carboplatina e vincristina (Carbo/VCR) os agentes de primeira linha. As medidas volumétricas foram realizadas com separação entre os componentes sólidos e císticos das neoplasia, usando as sequências FLAIR e T1 pós contraste, com o apoio de imagens ponderadas em T1 e T2. Um aumento de aproximadamente 30% do volume para as lesões sólidas e uma redução de 19,4% no volume das lesões sólido-císticas foram observados no período global após o tratamento com quimioterapia, porém ambos sem significância estatística. Entre os pacientes não tratados, observou-se uma redução de 16,6 % do volume global das lesões durante o período de acompanhamento. A avaliação da eficácia do tratamento para pacientes com GOQH é difícil, dada a raridade de casos e heterogeneidade radiológica. Os dados de algumas publicações argumentam que o valor da quimioterapia é controverso e não se correlaciona com a resposta radiológica. Em nosso estudo observamos uma pequena redução do volume de neoplasias entre os pacientes tratados e não tratados com quimioterapia, porém sem significância estatística. Ensaios clínicos prospectivos são necessários para melhor avaliar o efeito da quimioterapia sobre OPG. / Optic pathway gliomas (OPG) represent 5% of pediatric brain tumors and generally appear histologically as low-grade astrocytomas. Because of the unpredictable course of OPG, adequate treatment method has been controversial, involving surveillance, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In this study, we use volumetric imaging to compare evolution between OPG treated with and without chemotherapy, analyzing the volume and components of the lesions. We retrospectively analyzed 14 patients with OPG who underwent MRI in our department from January 2000 to October 2015. A total of 45 brain MRI were included, with an average of 3,2 studies/patient. The assessment of lesions was manually performed by a neuroradiologist, using software DISPLAY. Four of these patients had NF-1. Eight were treated with chemotherapy, using carboplatin and vincristine (Carbo/VCR) as first-line agents. Volumetric measurements of tumors were segmented into solid and cystic components using FLAIR and T1 weighted images after Gadolinium sequences, with support of T1 and T2 weighted images. An increase of approximately 30% of volume for solid lesions and a decrease of 19,4% for solid-cystic lesions were noted following chemotherapy in overall period, both with no statistical significance. Among patients not treated with chemotherapy, we observed a reduction of 16% in overall volume of the lesions Evaluation of treatment efficacy for OPG patients is difficult, given the rarity of cases and radiological heterogeneity. Data from some publications argued that the value of chemotherapy is controversial and does not correlate with radiological response. From our study we observed a small volume reduction of neoplasms among patients treated and not treated with chemotherapy. Larger prospective clinical trials are needed to better evaluate the effect of chemotherapy on OPG.

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a monogenetic autosomal-dominant disorder with a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms and is commonly associated with cognitive deficits. Patients with NF1 frequently exhibit cognitive impairments like attention problems, working memory deficits and dysfunctional inhibitory control. The latter is also relevant for the resolution of cognitive conflicts. However, it is unclear how conflict monitoring processes are modulated in NF1. To examine this question in more detail, we used a system neurophysiological approach combining high-density ERP recordings with source localisation analyses in juvenile patients with NF1 and controls during a flanker task. Behaviourally, patients with NF1 perform significantly slower than controls. Specifically on trials with incompatible flanker-target pairings, however, the patients with NF1 made significantly fewer errors than healthy controls. Yet, importantly, this overall successful conflict resolution was reached via two different routes in the two groups. The healthy controls seem to arrive at a successful conflict monitoring performance through a developing conflict recognition via the N2 accompanied by a selectively enhanced N450 activation in the case of perceived flanker-target conflicts. The presumed dopamine deficiency in the patients with NF1 seems to result in a reduced ability to process conflicts via the N2. However, NF1 patients show an increased N450 irrespective of cognitive conflict. Activation differences in the orbitofrontal cortex (BA11) and anterior cingulate cortex (BA24) underlie these modulations. Taken together, juvenile patients with NF1 and juvenile healthy controls seem to accomplish conflict monitoring via two different cognitive neurophysiological pathways.

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a monogenetic autosomal-dominant disorder with a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms and is commonly associated with cognitive deficits. Patients with NF1 frequently exhibit cognitive impairments like attention problems, working memory deficits and dysfunctional inhibitory control. The latter is also relevant for the resolution of cognitive conflicts. However, it is unclear how conflict monitoring processes are modulated in NF1. To examine this question in more detail, we used a system neurophysiological approach combining high-density ERP recordings with source localisation analyses in juvenile patients with NF1 and controls during a flanker task. Behaviourally, patients with NF1 perform significantly slower than controls. Specifically on trials with incompatible flanker-target pairings, however, the patients with NF1 made significantly fewer errors than healthy controls. Yet, importantly, this overall successful conflict resolution was reached via two different routes in the two groups. The healthy controls seem to arrive at a successful conflict monitoring performance through a developing conflict recognition via the N2 accompanied by a selectively enhanced N450 activation in the case of perceived flanker-target conflicts. The presumed dopamine deficiency in the patients with NF1 seems to result in a reduced ability to process conflicts via the N2. However, NF1 patients show an increased N450 irrespective of cognitive conflict. Activation differences in the orbitofrontal cortex (BA11) and anterior cingulate cortex (BA24) underlie these modulations. Taken together, juvenile patients with NF1 and juvenile healthy controls seem to accomplish conflict monitoring via two different cognitive neurophysiological pathways.