Abstract
We have recently designed a neuropsychological test battery to assess higher brain functions, containing the following tests : 5 minute memory, animal name listing, serial sevens, similarity test, digit span and kana pick-up test.
We evaluated brain damaged patients using this test battery serially and compared the results with those obtained by other dementia rating scales and WAIS.
Dementia patients and patients with disturbed consciousness scored 0 points except for the digit span test. We refer to this as the “dementia pattern” . When patients with disturbed consciousness recovered, they improved in 5 minute memory and serial sevens, which are both related to memory. But in the animal name listing, similarity test and kana pick-up test, which are related to higher brain functions, no improvement was shown.
At the chronic stage, frontal lobe lesions showed especially lower scores for the kana pick-up test, while temporal lobe lesions showed 5 minute memory disturbance. These findings may assist in locating cerebral lesions.
