The time course of peri-infarct diaschisis following a focal ischemic infarct and the effects of delayed rehabilitation on behavioral and functional recovery were examined. Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) was used to derive topographical maps of forelimb representations within the rat motor cortex and ischemia was induced via bipolar coagulation of surface vasculature. At one hour there was a dramatic expansion of reprentations in control but not ischemic animals. A significant loss of forelimb representations within peri-infarct dysfunction indicates the need for immediate administration of therapeutic interventions following an ischemic event. These results indicate that the timing of rehabilitation does not effect functional and behavioral recovery but does support the need for rehabilitative interventions of facilitate these types of recovery. / 132 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the kind of neuropsychological information that can be obtained from an investigation of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) subtests. Additionally, there was an examination of the shared variance between the WAIS and the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRNB). The archival data collected from the files of '220 females and 188 males from a large midwestern medical center were used. They had been originally diagnosed with objective research criteria.All eleven subtests of the WAIS and the HalsteadReitan Neuropsychological Battery were administered to the subjects in the years between 1981 and 1983. Thirteen scores were obtained from the HRNB measures. Statistical analyses of the results made use of the techniques of multiple regression and canonical correlation.The individual WAIS subtests were examined for the neuropsychological information they provided. Globally, three HRNB measures, APHASIA, RHY, AND CAT-TOT contributed significantly to a majority of the regression equations for the WAIS subtests. Their presence suggested that language skills, an auditory attention factor, and a general intellective factor were being tapped (Dean, 1985a).A canonical correlation was computed. The results yielded one significant correlation between the linear components of the WAIS and the HRNB tests. Only canonical variates with weights of +/- .2 were considered large enough for interpretation. The WAIS subtests meeting the .2 criteria included Block Design, Digit Symbol, and Similarities, while the HRNB measures meeting criteria were APHASIA and CAT-TOT. Therefore, it would appear that the significant variables measured the general (g) factor as in Spearman's research (1927). According to the Stewart and Love formula (cited in Pedhazur, 1982), the variability of the WAIS did overlap with the HRNB, and their relationship was symmetrical.This research demonstrated that the measured tasks from the WAIS were a complex of underlying constructs. The verbal portion of the WAIS was shown to be less highly related to the HRNB variables than the performance portion of the scale. The WAIS and HRNB do offer nonredundant information concerning the impaired and unimpaired adult's cognitive functioning.

"This work explores how current embodied theories of cognition can account for the comprehension of narrative texts. Theoretically, this thesis develops a framework for the study of narrative text comprehension by linking current advances in embodied theories of cognition, discourse processing, and neurosciences. Experimentally, two experiments are reported in which participants were required to read passages of text implying emotional states. The coherence of critical sentences in relation to the preceding text was manipulated in terms of both the emotional adjectives used and the sensory-motor component. In the first experiment, three tasks were used to index the effect of the manipulations on the critical sentences. The first was an on-line naming task in which response times to name emotional labels which matched the implied emotional state of the texts were recorded. [...] The second experiment used backward masking in the naming task with the aim of providing a more sensitive index of the effect of the text manipulations on on-line processing." / Master of Applied Science by research

"This work explores how current embodied theories of cognition can account for the comprehension of narrative texts. Theoretically, this thesis develops a framework for the study of narrative text comprehension by linking current advances in embodied theories of cognition, discourse processing, and neurosciences. Experimentally, two experiments are reported in which participants were required to read passages of text implying emotional states. The coherence of critical sentences in relation to the preceding text was manipulated in terms of both the emotional adjectives used and the sensory-motor component. In the first experiment, three tasks were used to index the effect of the manipulations on the critical sentences. The first was an on-line naming task in which response times to name emotional labels which matched the implied emotional state of the texts were recorded. [...] The second experiment used backward masking in the naming task with the aim of providing a more sensitive index of the effect of the text manipulations on on-line processing." / Master of Applied Science by research

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 211-233).

Thesis advisor: Elizabeth Altmaier, Daniel Tranel. Includes bibliographic references (p. 142-155).

Neuropsychologists are becoming increasingly aware that there is a complex interplay of cognitive, personality, and sociocultural factors that affect an individual's performance on neuropsychological tests. The current study investigated the effect of one aspect of the sociocultural environment, that is, quality of education, on performance on neuropsychological tests of executive function. The sample included 40 high school learners: Group A comprised learners with a high quality of education and Group B comprised learners with a low quality of education. Four tests of executive function were administered: the Verbal Fluency Test, the Design Fluency Test, the Stroop Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Results indicated that quality of education significantly affected the participants' performance with Group A performing significantly better than Group B on all the tests of executive function. These findings have implications for the interpretation of neuropsychological test performance in cross-cultural research and practice. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

The present study aimed at investigating the neuropsychological sequelae of transient ischaemic attacks. Transient ischaemic attacks are defined as those neurological disorders in which there is complete resolution of neurological symptoms within twenty·four hours. Transient ischaemic attacks may or may not reveal evidence of brain infarcts on imaging studies. In the present study, the neuropsychological sequelae of transient ischaemic attacks in the carotid circulation were investigated since, within the perspective of cognitive neuropsychology, it was assumed that localized changes in cognitive functions could be demonstrated.Since several psychological, medical and neurological factors are known to influence scores·on neuropsychological tests, regression analyses were performed to determine which factors contributed significantly to the variance of scores on neuropsychological tests in the transient ischaemic attack and control groups. Two transient ischaemic attack groups, each comprising forty left and forty right hemisphere involvement patients, were then compared with each other and with a control group of forty general medical patients. Stenosis of the carotid artery formed a significant predictor of test scores in the combined transient ischaemic attack group. When the groups were·analyzed independently, in the left transient ischaemic attack group stenosis predicted performance on the same tests reaching significance for the combined group, and for the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Perseverative Score). In the right transient ischaemic attack group, stenosis significantly predicted performance on Digits Forward, Backward and Total, the PASAT (2.4 seconds) and Trails B. On the other hand, education formed a significant predictor of performance on Digits Forward, Digits Backward and Digits Total and the PASAT (all levels) in the control group. Multivariate comparisons revealed that the left and right transient ischaemic attack groups performed worse than the controls on tests of attention, concentration and conceptual flexibi1ity. The left transient ischaemic attack group performed worse than the right transient ischaemic attack group on all tests of attention and concentration, but there was a significantly better performance of the former group on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (Trial 1), Block Designs and Verbal Fluency. The findings on the PASAT that left transient ischaemic attack patients performed significantly worse than the right hemisphere group ·were considered to be relatively unreported previously in the literature on transient ischaemic attacks. The findings obtained are discussed from a neurocognitive perspective of neuropsychological functioning in transient ischaemic attacks. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

Ph.D. / Epilepsy is a multidimensional disorder that extends beyond the medical implications to impact nearly every aspect of the person's life, as well as the lives of the people in the surrounding environment. Intractable epilepsy has a poor prognosis with possible worsening of seizures and cognitive decline over time. Anterior temporal lobe surgery for epilepsy provides an opportunity for the alleviation of seizures; however there are potential risks, to memory in particular. Research on surgery outcome thus far has evaluated outcome from a linear paradigm and has studied impact of surgery on isolated areas of function, the results derived from this have been largely inconsistent. So far, there has been very little research that focuses on the person as a whole, and as yet there has been no integrated approach to studying surgical outcome. The aim of the current study was therefore to investigate the impact of anterior temporal lobe surgery, specifically the symptomatic and functional surgical outcomes, in an integrated and holistic manner. This was done in accordance with the paradigm of complex systems theory as a critique of the previous literature in this field, and to gain a more holistic understanding of surgical outcome. A combination of methodologies was employed in order to achieve this. The sample consisted of male (n=10) and female (n=24) patients with intractable epilepsy undergoing left-sided (n=13) and right-sided (n=21) temporal lobe surgery at the Milpark Hospital Johannesburg between the ages of 14 and 58 (mean = 39 years), over a period of seven years. A pretest-posttest design was employed to obtain quantitative data (n=34). Post surgical assessments were conducted up to seven years post surgery (mean=3.6 years). Pre and post surgery assessment included neurocognitive functioning, particularly memory and language functions, by means of the Rey Complex Figure Test, Wechsler Memory Scale-Ill, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test; as well as emotional functioning, particularly depression and anxiety, by means of the Beck Depression lnventory-11 and Beck Anxiety lnventory-11. The quantitative data was subjected to statistical analysis of the sample as a whole, as well as gender and side of surgery comparisons, and included tests of normality of distribution of the data; the paired samples t-test; the independent samples t-test; the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test; the Mann-Whitney U test; and the Wilks' Lambda test. A semi-structured interview was also conducted (n=30) in order to obtain qualitative data on the functional (psychosocial) aspects of outcome. The interview included an assessment of postoperative seizure outcome; changes in daily activity functions; the client's report on positive and negative outcomes of surgery; quality of life changes and satisfaction with surgery. The qualitative data was analysed using the methods of open coding and axial coding. The results for neuropsychological function reflected known lateralization effects with memory showing auditory-verbal memory deficits after left-sided surgery; and visual (figural) memory deficits after right-sided surgery. Gender differences reflected known neuropsychological differences with female superiority in verbal fluency and a male advantage on visual-spatial tasks. Importantly, there was no relationship between neuropsychological deficit and decrements in daily activity functions, emotional functioning or quality of life. This indicates little impact of neuropsychological deficit post surgery and may be an indication of the effectiveness of the preoperative screening procedures. The results for emotional functioning showed a statistically significant improvement in the 'moderate/severe' depression and anxiety groups from pre to post surgery. This indicates a substantial improvement in both depression and anxiety for this severity group. The qualitative results showed that surgery rendered 74% of the sample seizure free, 15% showing worthwhile improvement, and 11% no change or worse seizures. Seizure outcome however did not determine quality of life changes, even those with some improvement or no change still reported an improvement in quality of life post surgically. The functional outcomes showed little postoperative change in daily activity functions (driving, occupational functioning and marital status) but still a reported improvement in quality of life. There were far more reports on perceived positive than negative outcomes. The most positive benefit of surgery, as reported by participants, was that of increased feelings of control, decreased helplessness, and less anxiety and worry of having seizures. The overwhelming majority of participants reported improved quality of life (90%) and satisfaction with surgery (93%).

Orientador: Flávia Heloísa dos Santos / Banca: Ana Paula Afonso Camargo Ferreira / Banca: Sandra Leal Caldas / Resumo: Introdução: O acidente vascular encefálico isquêmico (AVEi) te m elevada incidência (85% dos casos) e associa-se a déficits cognitivos e afetivos. Contudo, é difícil determinar se tais disfunções decorrem da idade ou do insulto, uma vez que o AVEi é frequente em pessoas idosas, com baixa escolaridade e, eventualmente, com insultos recidivos. Objetivo: Avaliar os sintomas depressivos e déficits mnemônicos em pacientes pós-acidente vascular encefálico isquêmico, controlando variáveis confundidoras, acompanhando a evolução destes pacientes em dois tempos: tempo 1 (T1) até três meses pósinsulto neurológico e tempo 2 (T2), passados seis meses. Material e Métodos: Estudo neuropsicológico caso-controle prospectivo. Foram recrutados 30 pacientes pós-AVEi e 30 controles saudáveis. O Grupo Caso (Gca) se caracterizou por: i) primeiro episódio de AVEi, ii) idade entre 18-59 anos, iii) escolaridade ≥ 4 anos, e iv) ocorrência do insulto ≤ 100 dias v) ausência de outros transtornos neuropsiquiátricos. O Grupo Controle (GCo) constituiu-se de indivíduos saudáveis pareados quanto ao sexo, idade e escolaridade. A avaliação neuropsicológica incluiu dados socioeconômicos, memória episódica verbal e visual, memória operacional auditivo-verbal e visuoespacial, rastreio do funcionamento cognitivo geral, sintomas depressivos e qualidade de vida. Resultados e Discussão: A média etária do GCa foi M= 45,7 (dp 11,2) anos e do GCo M= 45,6 (11,1) anos, de escolaridade foi M= 7,4 (2,7) anos e M= 7,1 (2,6) a... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Introduction: Ischemic Stroke has a high incidence (85% of cases) and is associated with cognitive and affective deficits. However, it is difficult to determine whether such dysfunctions stem from age or insult because stroke is frequent in the elderly, with low schooling, and sometimes with recidive insults. Objective: To evaluate depressive symptoms and mnemonic deficits in patients after ischemic stroke, controlling confounding variables, following the evolution of these patients in two periods: time 1 (T1) to three months post neurological insult and time 2 (T2), after six months. Material and Methods: Prospective case-control neuropsychological study. We recruited 30 post-stroke patients and 30 healthy controls. The Case Group (Gca) was characterized by: i) first episode of stroke, ii) age between 18-59 years, iii) schooling ≥ 4 years, and iv) occurrence of insult ≤ 100 days v) absence of other neuropsychiatric disorders. The Control Group (CG) was composed of healthy individuals matched for sex, age and schooling. Neuropsychological assessment included socioeconomic data, verbal and visual episodic memory, auditory-verbal and visuospatial working memory, screening of general cognitive functioning, depressive symptoms and quality of life. Results and Discussion: The mean age of the GCa was M = 45.7 (dp 11.2) years and the GCo, M = 45.6 (11.1) years, schooling was M = 7.4 (2.7 ) years and M = 7.1 (2.6) years, respectively. Regarding general cognitive functioning, there we... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre