OBJECT: The authors analyzed changes in depression and contemporary functional 
states by using valid tools in a population-based study sample during a 1-year 
follow-up period.
METHODS: The study population consisted of 77 patients with a solitary primary 
brain tumor treated surgically at the Oulu Clinic for Neurosurgery. Each 
patient's depressive status, according to the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), 
and functional outcome, based on the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS), were 
evaluated before the tumor was surgically treated as well as 3 months and 1 year 
after surgery. Before surgery 27 patients (35%) had BDI scores indicating the 
presence of depression. These scores were significantly higher in patients with 
a history of depression (p = 0.017) and in those with a lower functional outcome 
(p = 0.015). In the entire study sample the severity of depression decreased 
statistically significantly (p = 0.031) at 3 months postsurgery. A lower 
functional status (KPS score < or = 70) in patients was significantly associated 
with high depression scores at the 3-month (p = 0.000) and 1-year (p = 0.005) 
assessments. The decrease in the level of depression was significant in patients 
with an anterior tumor (p = 0.049) and those with a pituitary adenoma (p = 
0.019).
CONCLUSIONS: Affective disorders among patients with brain tumors must be 
considered immediately after surgery, especially in persons with a depression 
history and in those with a coincident physical disability.