title: Differential neuropsychological test sensitivity to left temporal lobe epilepsy.
abstract: We examined the sensitivity of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Boston Naming Test (BNT), and Multilingual Aphasia Examination Visual Naming subtest (MAE VN) to lateralized temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in patients who subsequently underwent anterior temporal lobectomy. For the AVLT (n = 189), left TLE patients performed more poorly than their right TLE counterparts [left TLE = 42.9 (10.6), right TLE = 47.7 (9.9); p < .002 (Cohen's d = .47)]. Although statistically significant, the CVLT group difference (n = 212) was of a smaller magnitude [left LTE = 40.7 (11.1), right TLE = 43.8 (9.9); (p < .03, Cohen's d = .29)] than the AVLT. Group differences were also present for both measures of confrontation naming ability [BNT: left LTE = 43.1 (8.9), right TLE = 48.1 (8.9); p < .001 (Cohen's d = .56); MAE VN: left TLE = 42.2, right TLE = 45.6, p = .02 (Cohen's d = .36)]. When these data were modeled in independent logistic regression analyses, the AVLT and BNT both significantly predicted side of seizure focus, although the positive likelihood ratios were modest. In the subset of 108 patients receiving both BNT and AVLT, the AVLT was the only significant predictor of seizure laterality, suggesting individual patient variability regarding whether naming or memory testing may be more sensitive to lateralized TLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA. david.loring@neurology.ufl.edu
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Loring
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Bruce P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Perrine
authors.forename: Max R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Trenerry
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chelune
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westerveld
authors.forename: Gregory P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kimford J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Meador
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bowden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*