The use of neuropsychological assessment in the diagnosis of cerebral lesions

[摘要] Englishs: Certain authors emphasise that, as neuro-imaging techniques seem to besignificantly superior, psychological assessment techniques have no place inneurological assessment, and that the reliability and validity of these techniques,regarding the presence and localisation of cerebral damage, are questionable.The purpose of the study was to determine the relative effectiveness ofneuropsychological assessment in the diagnosis and localisation of cerebrallesions, compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An availability sampleof patients was taken from patients whom neurologists and neurosurgeons hadseen and who had either a normal MRI or a MRI with localised lesions. Theywere then assessed by means of the South African Wechsler Adult IntelligenceScale, the Folstein's Mini Mental State Examination, the Bender Gestalt Test,and the Grassi Block Substitution Test. The test results were interpreted blindly.The findings are discussed, shortcomings of the study mentioned andrecommendations made.Neuropsychology; neuro-imaging; cerebral lesions; diagnosis; presence; lesionlocalization; South African Wechsler Intelligence Scale; Folstein's Mini MentalState Examination; Bender Gestalt Test; Grassi Block Substitution Test

[发布机构] University of the Free State