Memory difficulties of adult patients with shunted hydrocephalus: a clinical study.

AIM The purpose of this prospective study was to describe memory problems of adult patients with hydrocephalus. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research group consisted of healthy adults (control group) and hydrocephlic adults (hydrocephalus group). The hydrocephalus group (n: 19) had no clinical signs or symptoms of increased intracerebral pressure. The control group (n:20) was chosen from healthy adults. Both groups were evaluated by an experienced neuro-psychologist blinded to the groups. The examiner performed a battery of three different neuropsychological tests (Raven Standart Progressive Matrices, RSPM; Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, RCFT; and Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, AVLT) to all groups. RESULTS Almost all subtest scores of the AVLT and RCFT remained significant after the RSPM scores were controlled. Almost all neuropsychological test results of the hydrocephalus group were significantly worse than control group. CONCLUSION This prospective study showed that adult patients with hydrocephalus have serious problems in memory function which might be directly caused by the hydrocephalus.