Long-term effect of prefrontal lobotomy on verbal fluency in patients with schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the long-term effects of bilateral prefrontal leukotomy on lexical abilities in schizophrenia subjects.


METHODS
we compared performances of leukotomized (LSP), non-leukotomized schizophrenia patients (NLSP) and normal controls, using a test of verbal fluency. Multiple case and triple comparison design were implemented. i.e., the performance of each LSP was compared to that of NLSP and that of a normal control. The sample consisted of four LSP, four NLSP, and four normal subjects. Subjects were matched in sex, age, handedness, and schooling. In Addition, schizophrenia groups were matched in diagnosis and years of hospitalization. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of generated words and errors produced by subjects were carried out.


RESULTS
A deficiency in both groups of schizophrenia was observed, although a better performance in LSP patients was detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Intact Lexical ability in LSP indicates its poor relation to the frontal lobe.
Stip
Emmanuel
E
Fernand Seguin Research Center, Louis-H Lafontaine Hospital, University of Montreal, Montréal, Canada. emmanuel.stip@umontreal.ca
Bigras
Marie-Josée
MJ
Mancini-Marïe
Adham
A
Cosset
Marie-Eve
ME
Black
Deborah
D
Lecours
André-Roch
AR
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011612:Psychosurgery; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014825:Vocabulary