Brain-Behavior Relationships

Overview of Topics

Dysfunctions caused by Lesions
Assessment
References

Parieto-occipital Cortex

A. Right hemisphere - intact functioning of this area of the cortex contributes to the individual's ability to orient himself in space, reproduce constructions, and recognize objects through visual or tactile cues. Facial recognition appears to be a function of right parietal cortex as well.

1. Right-left homonymous hemianopsia - severe visual field cuts (1, 2, 3). Test: visual exam, copy drawings, reading ability.
2. Contralateral hemianaesthesia - global anesthesia to all modalities affecting the left side of the body, but with grossly preserved motor and postural control of the involved limbs (4).
3. Paragnosia - difficulty with visual recognition of objects - also called visual agnosia (5, 6, 7). Test: Naming tasks, visual recognition tasks.
4. Prosopagnosia - recognition of faces (8, 9, 10, 11). Test: Tachistoscopic recognition of faces, behavioral observation.
5. Spatial loss greater than with lesion to left hemisphere (12, 13,14). Test: constructional ability tests.
6. Unilateral spatial agnosia - neglect or inattention to one side in spatial orientation (15, 16, 17, 18). Test: Drawings of designs, block design, Incomplete Pictures.
7. Visuospatial Dysgnosia - loss of "whereness", relation of self to environment and relations of objects to each other (19). Test: Drawings of designs, loss of way in familiar surroundings, tests of right-left orientation.
8. Anosognosia - lack of awareness of defect (20, 21).

TOP

Test: Self-report by patient-interview.

TOP

References

1. Smith, J. L. Homonymous hemianopia: A review of one hundred cases. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 54, 1962, 616-622.
2. Weiskrantz, L., Harrington, E.J., Sanders, M.D. & Marshall,J. Visual capacity in the hemianopic field following a restricted occipital ablation. Brain, 97, 1974, 709-728.
3. Kan, S. and Hatsubayashi, T. CT in Homonymous Hemianopia, Neuroradiology,16, 1970, 299-301.
4. Yarnell, P. Helamed, E., Silverberg, R. Global Hemianaesthesia: a parietal perceptual distortion suggesting non-organic illness. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 41, 1978, 843-846.
5. Rubens, A.B. & Benson, D.F. Associative visual agnosia. Archives of Neurology, 24, 1971, 305-316.
6. Bender, M.B., and Feldman, The so-called "visual Agnosias" Brain. 95, 1972, 173-186.
7. Mack, J.L. and Boller, F. Associative Visual Agnosia and its Related Deficits: The role of the minor hemisphere in assigning meaning to visual perceptions. Neuropsychologia, 15, 1977, 345-349.
8. Benton, A.L. and Van Allen, M.W. Prosopagnosia and Facial discrimination. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 15, 1972, 167-172.
9. Meadows, J.C. The anatomical basis of prosopagnosia. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 37, 1974, 489-501.
10. Berent, S. Functional Asymmetry of the Human Brain in the Recognition of Faces, Neuropsychologia, 15, 1977, 829-831.
11. Whiteley, A.H. and Harrington, E.K. Prosopagnosia: A clinical, psychological and anatomical study of three patients. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 409 1977, 395-403.
12. Benton, A. Constructional apraxia and the minor hemisphere. Conference Neurology, 29, 1967, 1-16.
13. Harrington, E. Constructional apraxia in Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol. 4, Vinken and Bruyn (eds.), Wiley, N.Y., 1969, 67-83.
14. Benson, D. and Barton, N. Disturbances in constructional ability. Cortex,62 1970, 19-46.
15. Battersby, H.S., Bender, H.B., Pollack, 5. and Kahn, R.L. Unilateral "spatial agnosia" (inattention) in patients with cerebral lesions, Brain,79,1956, 68-93.
16. Warrington, E.K. and James, N. Disorders of Visual Perception in Patients vith localized lesions. Neuropsychologia, 5., 1967, 253-266.
17. Gainotti, G., Nesserli, P. and Tissot, R. Qualitative Analysis of Unilateral Neglect in Relation to Laterality of Cerebral Lesion, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 35, 1972, 545-550.
18. Campbell, D.C. and Oxbury, J.N. Recovery from Unilateral Visuospatial Dysgnosia, American Journal of Opthalmology, 88, 1979, 361-368.
19. Cogan, D.C. Visuospatial Dysgnosia, American Journal of Opthalmology, 88, 1979, 361-368.
20. Horenstein, S. Amnestic, agnosic, apractic and aphasic features in dementing illness, in Dementia, Hells (Ed.), Philadelphia, FA Davis Co., 1971, 36-60.
21. Luria, A.R. The working Brain, New York, Basic Books, 1973, p. 167.