title: Predictive value of Spanish neuropsychological testing for laterality in patients with epilepsy.
abstract: In presurgical treatment planning for patients with epilepsy, neuropsychological testing assists in lateralization of the seizure focus. Previous research with English speakers has shown that patients with left hemisphere (LH) onsets versus right hemisphere (RH) onsets perform worse on naming and other verbal skills tests, but similar findings with Hispanic patients are limited. Thirty-nine Spanish-speaking patients were administered a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests in Spanish. LH-onset patients performed significantly worse than RH-onset patients on verbal comprehension (P=0.006), visual matching (P=0.047), the Ponton-Satz Boston Naming Test (P=0.001), and the dominant hand trial of the Grooved Pegboard Test (P=0.012). A stepwise regression model to predict seizure laterality from these tests was significant (F=12.10, P=0.001), but only the Ponton-Satz Boston Naming Test was retained. This comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests in Spanish proved useful in predicting lateralization in patients with partial epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, 820 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lancman
authors.forename: Gonzalo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Vazquez-Casals
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Perrine
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Feoli
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D057234:Preoperative Period; D013030:Spain; D014705:Verbal Behavior