Elsevier

Neuropsychologia

Volume 2, Issue 4, December 1964, Pages 257-280
Neuropsychologia

An experimental analysis of the behavioral disturbance produced by a left frontal arachnoidal endothelioma (meningioma)

https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(64)90034-XGet rights and content

Abstract

A patient with a left frontal arachnoidal endothelioma was examined at the bedside. A series of simple tasks was administered. These showed:

  • 1.

    (1) An inability to carry out compounded instructions whether these were given verbally or presented as a visual model.

  • 2.

    (2) An inability to carry out “symbolic” instructions.

  • 3.

    (3) These incapacities did not depend on any difficulty in apprehending the instructions per se.

  • 4.

    (4) Error utilization appeared related to ease of disequilibration as tested by the orienting reaction.

These results are believed to be indicative of frontal lobe impairment despite the presence of more generalized brain damage which may serve to bring out in relief and carricature the essence of a disturbance produced by the local lesion.

Résumé

Un malade atteint d'endotheliome arachnoidien du lobe frontal gauche fut examiné cliniquement au moyen d'une série d'épreuves simples. On constata ainsi:

  • 1.

    (1) Une impossibilité d'exécuter des instructions complexes, que celles-ci soient données verbalement ou présentées visuellement.

  • 2.

    (2) Une incapacité à exécuter des instructions “symboliques”.

  • 3.

    (3) Ces troubles ne dépendaient pas de difficultés dans l'appréhension des instructions en elles-mêmes.

  • 4.

    (4) L'utilisation erronée apparaissait dépendre des possibilités de déséquilibration telles que testées par la réaction d'orientation.

On croit que ces résultats traduisent l'atteinte du lobe frontal malgré la présence d'un trouble cérébral plus généralisé qui peut aider à mettre en relief et à caricaturer l'essence d'un trouble produit par la lésion locale.

Zusammenfassung

Einem Patienten mit einem linksfrontalen Endotheliom wurde am Krankenbett eine Reihe von einfachen Testaufgaben gestellt. Die Ergebnisse waren folgende:

  • 1.

    (1) Es bestand eine Unfähigkeit, komplexe Anweisungen auszuführen, ganz gleich, ob diese verbal gegeben oder optisch dargeboten wurden.

  • 2.

    (2) Es zeigte sich ein Unvermögen, Aufgaben zu lösen, die “symbolischen” Charakter hatten.

  • 3.

    (3) Die Mängel beruhten nicht auf einem fehlenden Aufgabenverständnis.

  • 4.

    (4) Dass aus Fehlern kein Nutzen gezogen wurde, war der leichten Störbarkeit des seelischen Gleichgewichtes zuzuschreiben, was auch das Verhalten bei der Orientierung zeigte.

Die Befunde weisen auf eine spezifische Stirnhirnschädigung hin. Selbst bei gleichzeitig bestehender diffuser Hirnschädigung heben sich die charakteristischen Herdsymptome des Stirnhirns ab.

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