Demographic Factors Influence Cognitive Recovery After Shunt for Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus

Abstract

One third of patients met our definition of good cognitive improvement: improvement by at least 25% on at least half of the cognitive tests administered. There was a significant negative linear relationship between age and probability of good cognitive improvement. Additionally, the degree of cognitive improvement was found to be greater in women than men (P = 0.002). Age was found to be a better predictor of improvement on memory tests, while sex was a better predictor of improvement on non-memory tests after shunt insertion.