Task-Specific and General Cognitive Effects in Chiari Malformation Type I Philip A. Allen mail, James R. Houston, Joshua W. Pollock, Christopher Buzzelli, Xuan Li, A. Katherine Harrington, Bryn A. Martin, Francis Loth, Mei-Ching Lien, Jahangir Maleki, Mark G. Luciano Published: April 15, 2014DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094844

Abstract

Objective

Our objective was to use episodic memory and executive function tests to determine whether or not Chiari Malformation Type I (CM) patients experience cognitive dysfunction.

Background

CM is a neurological syndrome in which the cerebellum descends into the cervical spine causing neural compression, severe headaches, neck pain, and number of other physical symptoms. While primarily a disorder of the cervico-medullary junction, both clinicians and researchers have suspected deficits in higher-level cognitive function.

Design and Methods

We tested 24 CM patients who had undergone decompression neurosurgery and 24 age- and education-matched controls on measures of immediate and delayed episodic memory, as well as three measures of executive function

For the results and more:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi/10.1371/journal.pone.0094844