Memory After Tumours of the CNS in Childhood (MATCCh)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Memory After Tumours of the CNS in Childhood (MATCCh): Long-Term Memory Retention in Paediatric Brain Tumour Survivors

• IRAS ID

  159076

• Contact name

  Thomas McMillan

• Contact email

  thomas.mcmillan@glasgow.ac.uk

• Research summary

  Children and young people who have survived a brain tumour experience a number of late effects, including memory difficulties, such as difficulty remembering and applying previously learned information. The aim of the research is to see if young people who have survived a brain tumour have worse memory than healthy people. Participants in the study will include young people aged 11-24 years who have survived a brain tumour and a sibling (or cousin or friend) for comparison. They will be asked to learn a list of words and learn a complicated picture, then be tested on how much they remember after half an hour and again after a week. Sleep and mood difficulties are also frequently reported by brain tumour survivors and can affect memory. Participants will fill in mood questionnaires and wear an Actiwatch (a small watch-like device that measures sleep) to see if results are associated with memory.
  Young people with brain tumours who were treated for a brain tumour in Edinburgh will be invited to take part in the study. They will be sent an information sheet and be able to phone and ask any questions about taking part. They will be told that their participation is voluntary and that they can drop out at any time. No personal information will be used in the report. We expect the study will find that brain tumour survivors have worse memory and recall than their healthy siblings and that those with mood or sleep difficulties have more memory problems. The study will not directly help the people who take part, although they will receive information about their own mood, sleep and memory. By increasing our understanding of these problems in brain tumour survivors, professionals in hospitals and schools can learn about how to support these young people.

• REC name

  West of Scotland REC 5

• REC reference

  14/WS/1091

• Date of REC Opinion

  23 Sep 2014

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion