Abstract
In order to establish control data needed to evaluate higher brain dysfunctions in children, tests for adults with such conditions were administered to 133 normal children(6-18 years old). We examined subjects using the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised(WMS-R), and attention function tests including the Trail Making Test(TMT), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-KO-F-S version(WCST), and the Standard Language Test of Aphasia(SLTA). The data indicate that by 12 years of age, memory function as measured by WMS-R reached over 90% of those 16-17 years of age. Attention-related function rapidly developed by 14 years of age, after which it reached a plateau. The percentage of correct answers obtained in the various SLTA subtests reached 90-100% by the time the children were 6-7 years old. The percentage of correct answers obtained in the remaining subtests reached 90-100% by 8-12 years of age, also reaching a plateau. On the other hand, WCST performance exhibited two stages of development, indicating progress to 10 years of age with a plateau during the following 6 years, and further progress from 16 years of age. When we use these tests for the assessment of higher brain dysfunction in children, we should add the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition and inclusively estimate higher brain dysfunction
