Evaluation of Response Inhibition in the Face of Cognitive and Emotional Stimuli in Patients with Frontal Lobe Tumors before and after Surgery

The functions of specialized brain parts undoubtedly influence emotional inhibition. Numerous studies have considered the prefrontal cortex of the brain’s two hemispheres to be responsible for this behavior. However, few studies have addressed the question of to what degree a change in this brain unit can affect response inhibition and reaction time in the face of emotional stimuli. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate emotional behavior in patients with frontal lobe gliomas.

In this quasi-experimental research, the Integrated Visual and Auditory (IVA) test and affective Go/No-Go task in the areas of happiness and anger, focusing on response accuracy and reaction time were performed for 16 patients with frontal lobe lesions and 20 healthy individuals. These tests were repeated three months after surgery. The t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, Mann-Whitney, and their related equivalence test were applied for statistical analysis.

The results revealed that following surgery, there was an improvement in the patients’ reaction times and response accuracy to both emotional stimuli especially against the stimulus of anger exist. The IVA results showed the significant improvement in neurocognitive condition of all patients following surgery.

Toward improving the emotional conditions, lesion resection surgery could significantly help these patients regain their normal cognitive function. However, a difference was seen between patients and healthy individuals.