Unilateral spatial neglect,global processing deficit and prosopagnosia following right hemisphere stroke:a case report

Although unilateral spatial neglect, global processing deficit, or prosopagnosia followingbrain damage has been usually reported separately, to our knowledge, a report on a patient with the three mentioned syndromes has not been reported. We now present a case that developed unilateral spatial neglect, global processing deficit and prosopagnosia after right hemisphere stroke in September 2004.

Development, and validation of non-speech dichotic listening test

Background:Classic dichotic listening tests using speech stimuli result in right ear advantage,due to the dominant crossed pathway for speech and language.It is presumed that similar crossed dominance could exist for non-speech stimuli too.Hence,this is an attempt to develop and validate the dichotic nonspeech test using environmental stimuli and explore the effect of focused attention on this test.Materials and method:Three lists of dichotic stimuli were created using these sounds with fifteen tokens in each list.Four professionals and non-professionals validated these materials.Normative estimation was obtained by administering the newly developed test on 70 adults and 70 children using a free-recall and forced-recall condition.Result:The results showed a significant difference between the left ear and right scores where the left ear score was better than the right,depicting left ear advantage(LEA)for free recall condition in both groups.In the forced recall condition,LEA was not seen;rather the mean score was significantly higher in the attended ear,irrespective of the stimuli presented to the right or left ear.The test-retest reliability in free recall was good in both the ears and moderate for forced right ear conditions.Conclusion:The novel test consistently showed LEA with good reliability and can be used to assess the hemispheric asymmetry in normal subjects and also in test batteries for the clinical population.

Evidence of cortical reorganization of language networks after stroke with subacute Broca's aphasia:a blood oxygenation level dependent-functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder that is a common consequence of stroke.The pathogenesis of the disease is not fully understood,and as a result,current treatment options are not satisfactory.Here,we used blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the activation of bilateral cortices in patients with Broca＇s aphasia 1 to 3 months after stroke.Our results showed that language expression was associated with multiple brain regions in which the right hemisphere participated in the generation of language.The activation areas in the left hemisphere of aphasia patients were significantly smaller compared with those in healthy adults.The activation frequency,volumes,and intensity in the regions related to language,such as the left inferior frontal gyrus（Broca＇s area）,the left superior temporal gyrus,and the right inferior frontal gyrus（the mirror region of Broca＇s area）,were lower in patients compared with healthy adults.In contrast,activation in the right superior temporal gyrus,the bilateral superior parietal lobule,and the left inferior temporal gyrus was stronger in patients compared with healthy controls.These results suggest that the right inferior frontal gyrus plays a role in the recovery of language function in the subacute stage of stroke-related aphasia by increasing the engagement of related brain areas.

Neuropsychological characteristics of selective attention in children with nonverbal learning disabilities

Background Children with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD) usually manifest defective attention function This study sought to investigate the neuropsychological characteristics of selective attention, such as attention control, working memory, and attention persistence of the frontal lobe in children with NLD Methods Using the auditory detection test (ADT), Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), and C WISC, 27 children with NLD and 33 normal children in the control group were tested, and the results of C WISC subtests were analyzed with factor analysis Results Compared with the control group, the correct response rate in the auditory detection test in the NLD group was much lower ( P <0 01), and the number of incorrect responses was much higher ( P <0 01); NLD children also scored lower in WCST categories achieved (CA) and perseverative errors (PE) ( P <0 05) Factor analysis showed that perceptual organization (PO) related to visual space and freedom from distractibility (FD) relating to attention persistence in the NLD group were obviously lower than in the control group ( P <0 01) Conclusions Children with NLD have attention control disorder and working memory disorder mainly in the frontal lobe We believe that the disorder is particularly prominent in the right frontal lobe