Cerebellar Mutism Syndrome (CMS) is a devastating outcome in ~25% of children after posterior fossa tumor surgery. This syndrome is characterized by delayed onset mutism/ reduced speech, emotional lability, behavioral problems, and coordination disorders. These symptoms affect the neuropsychological outcome of patients with CMS, which negatively impact the daily life of these children. Unfortunately, the relationship between clinical, neuroradiological, and neuropsychological findings remains unknown.
The overall aim of this study is to investigate whether there are clinical characteristics and MRI measures that can predict the neuropsychological outcome of children who have undergone surgery for a posterior fossa tumor. This will provide insight into the anatomical substrate of neuropsychological outcomes in children with a brain tumor.
