Neural network disruptions and their impact on emotion regulation and executive functioning in children treated for brain tumors

The interplay between emotion and cognition is essential for understanding behavior and mental health. Emotional and cognitive processes are linked through neural circuits, with brain networks such as the limbic system, default mode network, and executive control network modulating emotional responses and cognitive functions. Disruptions to these networks can impact emotion regulation and executive functioning. Children with acquired brain injuries, including pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS), may be especially vulnerable to such disruptions. This study explores how network disruptions affect emotion regulation and executive functioning. Participants included 18 typically developing children, 16 PBTS treated with surgery only, and 19 PBTS treated with surgery and radiation (13.14 ± 2.65 years). Structural connectivity was examined using tractography, and resting state functional connectivity was assessed using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Emotion regulation and executive functioning were measured through the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Statistical modeling assessed the impact of connectivity on behavioral outcomes. Compared to healthy controls, PBTS showed greater differences in emotion regulation than executive functioning, structural compromise, and aberrant neural synchrony. No significant differences emerged between PBTS treated with surgery versus radiation. Structural connectivity influenced neural synchrony, emotion regulation, and executive functioning. Emotion regulation and executive functioning were interrelated, with structural compromise resulting in poorer outcomes through disrupted neural synchrony. These findings highlight the critical role of network connectivity in supporting emotion regulation and executive functioning, and underscore the importance of considering these processes as interconnected domains influenced by the organization of brain networks.