Neuropsychiatric Manifestations in Brain Tumor

Mood and emotional disturbances are frequent symptoms in patients with brain tumors, which are distressing and negatively influence the patient’s quality of life. Significant mood/emotional disturbances include depression, anxiety, emotional incontinence, anger/aggression, and psychosis. Unfortunately, these emotional disturbances are not apparent and often unnoticed by busy clinicians. Their phenomenology, predicting factors, and pathophysiology have been under-recognized and under-studied. In addition, well-designed clinical trials regarding these symptoms are rare. These mood and emotional disturbances may be treated or prevented by various methods, including pharmacological therapy. To administer the appropriate therapy, we must understand the phenomenology and the similarities and differences in the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with these emotional symptoms. This narrative review will describe some of the most common or relevant posttumor mood and emotional disturbances. The phenomenology, factors or predictors, relevant lesion locations, and pharmacological treatment will be described.