title: Frontal versus dysexecutive syndromes: relevance of an interactionist approach in a case series of patients with prefrontal lobe damage.
abstract: The concepts of "frontal" and "dysexecutive" syndromes are still a matter of debate in the literature. These terms are often used interchangeably but can be distinguished when considering specific frontal behavioural deficits which occur during social interaction. Despite being of interest for the clinical assessment and care management of patients with anterior brain damage, few studies have tried to disentangle the specificity of each syndrome. We report the case of eight patients with frontal lobe damage who were assigned to one of two groups based on whether or not they showed a dysexecutive syndrome. The nondysexecutive group differed from the dysexecutive group in showing environmental dependency phenomena, behavioural disorders triggered by social interaction. By adopting an interactionist perspective, this pilot study contributes to defining more precisely the distinction between "frontal" and "dysexecutive" syndromes. The discussion focuses on the potential interest of the interactionist approach in designing appropriate methodologies of assessment and rehabilitation of patients with frontal lobe syndrome.
authors.affiliation: a Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (UPRES EA 4638) , LUNAM Université, University of Angers , Angers , France.|b Neuropsychological Unit, Department of Neurology , University Hospital of Angers , Angers , France.
authors.forename: Jérémy
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7127-7558
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Besnard
authors.affiliation: a Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (UPRES EA 4638) , LUNAM Université, University of Angers , Angers , France.|b Neuropsychological Unit, Department of Neurology , University Hospital of Angers , Angers , France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allain
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology , St. Edward's University , Austin , TX , USA.
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lerma
authors.affiliation: a Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (UPRES EA 4638) , LUNAM Université, University of Angers , Angers , France.|b Neuropsychological Unit, Department of Neurology , University Hospital of Angers , Angers , France.|d Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Regional Centre for Functional Rehabilitation , Angers , France.
authors.forename: Ghislaine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aubin
authors.affiliation: a Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (UPRES EA 4638) , LUNAM Université, University of Angers , Angers , France.|b Neuropsychological Unit, Department of Neurology , University Hospital of Angers , Angers , France.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chauviré
authors.affiliation: a Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (UPRES EA 4638) , LUNAM Université, University of Angers , Angers , France.|b Neuropsychological Unit, Department of Neurology , University Hospital of Angers , Angers , France.
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Etcharry-Bouyx
authors.affiliation: a Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (UPRES EA 4638) , LUNAM Université, University of Angers , Angers , France.|b Neuropsychological Unit, Department of Neurology , University Hospital of Angers , Angers , France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Le Gall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D056345:Theory of Mind; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Frontal lobe syndrome; dysexecutive syndrome; environmental dependency phenomena; interactionism