Attention and executive functions in microsurgically treated patients after subarachnoid hemorrhage

OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to assess attention and executive functions in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients. METHODS: The prospective, controlled, longitudinal study was conducted. There were two groups of patients (SAH and lumbar microdiscectomy groups), and all of them were operated on by a single neurosurgeon (KD) in the same institution. Preoperatively, SAH patients were in the Hunt-Hess Grade I and II. They did not develop any focal neurological deficit or hydrocephalus postoperatively. The patients were tested in 2-time points: 15 and 45 days after microsurgery with a battery of tests and questioners consisting of the Trail Making Test, the Sustained Attention to Response Task, the Hayling Sentence Completion Test, The Attention/Concentration test of Attention, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (verbal part). Results between groups were compared (sex, age; years of education and verbal IQ). RESULTS: It was found the presence of lower attention and executive function test scores in the SAH group of patients with a trend of improving during the time. CONCLUSION: The detailed neuropsychological assessment of operated patients who sustained SAH and were without the focal neurological deficit postoperatively, showed declination in their attention and executive function with a trend of cognitive recovery as time passes by.