The Frontal Lobe Score: part I: construction of a mental status of frontal systems.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a bedside mental status examination to assess the behavioural effects of damage to the frontal lobes.


METHODS
A prospective clinical comparison of patients with cerebral lesions of different locations.


METHODS
A total of 118 subjects were examined: 27 patients with cerebral lesions confined to the frontal lobes, 25 patients with cerebral lesions without involvement of the frontal lobes, 18 patients with mixed frontal/nonfrontal lesions, and 48 normal control subjects.


METHODS
Twenty-three mental status tests, clinical examinations and rating scales that had been reported as indicative of frontal lobe function were brought together. By statistical analysis, 12 tests and a neurobehavioural rating scale were selected. These constitute the Frontal Lobe Score (FLS).


RESULTS
The FLS detected pure frontal lesions with a sensitivity of 77.7%. It discriminated patients with frontal lesions from normal control subjects with a specificity of 100%. Differentiation from patients with nonfrontal lesions was obtained with a specificity of 84%.


CONCLUSIONS
The Frontal Lobe Score is a useful screening instrument for the clinical detection of effects of frontal lobe damage.
Ettlin
T M
TM
Rheinfelden Rehabilitation Centre, Switzerland. Rehaklinik-RHF@swissonline.ch
Kischka
U
U
Beckson
M
M
Gaggiotti
M
M
Rauchfleisch
U
U
Benson
D F
DF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index