Exploratory-motor task to evaluate right frontal lobe damage.
An exploratory-motor (E-M) task was performed by 20 patients with right hemispheric damage and unilateral spatial neglect and by 15 adult controls. None of the subjects in the control group demonstrated E-M neglect, other types of unilateral spatial neglect, or motor impersistence. In the unilateral spatial neglect group, 14 of 20 patients revealed E-M neglect. The presence or absence of E-M neglect related to word fluency, digit span recall (backward), and motor impersistence. In addition, E-M neglect frequency was observed in patients with lesions in the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe may play an important role in the performance of an E-M task. Therefore, we think that E-M task performance is a useful method for evaluating the site of right frontal lobe damage.
Maeshima
S
S
Department of Neurological Surgery, Wakayama Medical College, Japan.
Nakai
K
K
Itakura
T
T
Komai
N
N
Dohi
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology; D014836:Volition / Q000502:physiology