Socioeconomic status linked to cognition after childhood brain tumours in Swedish cohort

A Swedish population-based registry study examined socioeconomic status (SES) and longitudinal neurocognitive outcomes in 461 children diagnosed with brain tumours during 2008–2023. Children had completed at least two neurocognitive assessments; mean age at diagnosis was 7.98 years. Researchers assessed parental education, occupation and household income individually and as a combined SES measure. Linear mixed models accounted for time since diagnosis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, examining outcomes up to five years after diagnosis.

Higher SES was associated with higher neurocognitive z-scores for processing speed (B=0.23), working memory (B=0.25), nonverbal reasoning (B=0.29), verbal reasoning (B=0.41) and global cognition (B=0.42; all q≤0.039). No interactions between SES and age or time were observed. Longer time since diagnosis was associated with lower processing speed and verbal reasoning. Younger age at diagnosis was associated with steeper declines in nonverbal reasoning, while craniospinal irradiation was associated with lower processing speed (B=−0.50; q=0.019).

The findings highlight socioeconomic disparities relevant to neurocognitive follow-up after childhood brain tumours. The authors suggest that lower SES may reflect reduced baseline cognitive reserve rather than greater disease- or treatment-related toxicity, but this interpretation is not established causally. The observational study required repeated assessments, and only the abstract was available for review, limiting appraisal of selection effects and residual confounding.