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Biomedical subjects

F Newcombe

Publications and source records attributed to F Newcombe.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Dissociable visual and spatial impairments following right posterior cerebral lesions: clinical, neuropsychological and anatomical evidence.

A double dissociation of visual and spatial performance is reported in two men with chronic focal missile injuries of the right cerebral hemisphere. The clinical, neuropsychological and post-mortem anatomical data are considered in relation to evidence from physiological research of two major cortico-cortical pathways for object-recognition and spatial perception.

Brain Mapping↗
PubMed1987

A left hemisphere contribution to visuospatial processing.

Men with chronic, focal, unilateral missile injures of the brain--twenty-five with left hemisphere lesions (LH group) and twenty with right hemisphere lesions (RH groups)--and twenty-two control subjects were given two visuoperceptual and two visuospatial tests. The LH group was significantly impaired in relation to the control group on both the spatial tasks. A different pattern of dissociable perceptual and spatial deficits was found in the experimental groups: better preserved perceptual than spatial performance was observed more frequently in the LH group whereas the converse--relatively better spatial than perceptual performance--was more evident in the RH group. Double dissociations in performance on the two spatial tasks were found predominantly in the LH group. These findings suggest an important left hemisphere contribution to visuospatial processing and the possibility of a more focal representation of spatial abilities in the left hemisphere than in the right.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Faces interfere with name classification in a prosopagnosic patient.

Since sustaining a severe closed head injury P.H. has been completely unable to recognise familiar faces, but remains able to identify written names. Despite his inability to recognise faces overtly, P.H. nevertheless shows a normal pattern of interference from simultaneously presented distractor faces in a politician vs nonpolitician name classification task. His reaction times for semantic (politician versus nonpolitician) classification of printed names are slowed by the presence of a face drawn from the incorrect semantic category. This interference is found even though P.H. performs at chance level when asked to overtly classify the faces used in the task. The finding demonstrates that prosopagnosic patients may covertly achieve relatively precise recognition of familiar faces and access to semantic information.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Neuropsychology qua interface.

This paper focuses on the multidisciplinary nature and requirements of neuropsychology. It illustrates two approaches to this convergence of neuropsychology and its complementary disciplines: the relationship between the dissociated visual-perceptual and spatial disorders consequent upon focal lesions of the right cerebral hemisphere in man and the evidence (neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and behavioural) of two major cortico-cortical pathways for processing visual information in monkey; and the evolution of information-processing models (derived from cognitive psychology, linguistics, and pathophysiological data) to delineate the functional architecture of reading and speech production. It cites the study of attention and frontal-lobe function as a major target for research; and it invokes the need to encompass the art of medicine in neuropsychological research and practice.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Putative problems and pure progress in neuropsychological single-case studies.

We consider the logic of basing theories of normal and pathological cognitive functioning upon the selective deficits revealed by single-case studies. Objections to this strategy, concerned with the rarity of pertinent cases, the role of methodological artifacts, and the existence of normal variation in brain functions are refuted. We conclude that, in neuropsychology, a group has no significance over and above the individual members it contains.

Agnosia↗
PubMed1983

Late language development in a child unable to recognize or produce speech sounds.

A boy with severe quadriplegia who neither recognized nor uttered speech sounds acquired language. Until the age of 6 years he was considered to be of severely subnormal intelligence. At age 6 years 9 months he was introduced to a manual sign system. Subsequently he was able to read, write, converse, and produce imaginative stories. Attention and memory were unimpaired and affective and social responsiveness developed appropriately. The case history demonstrates the selective effects of brain lesions that, despite extensive damage, may spare functional systems necessary for cognitive and linguistic development. It highlights the difficulty in diagnosing and evaluating the intellectual and affective potential of a multihandicapped child without functional hearing or speech and emphasizes the importance of sign language as a communication channel and prerequisite for the acquisition of reading and writing skills.

Aphasia↗
PubMed1980

Measuring the duration of post traumatic amnesia.

A simple quantitative test is described for measuring the duration of post-traumatic amnesia. It was used in a study of 336 patients with closed head injury; and the results matched closely the independent estimates of experienced neurosurgeons. A systematic procedure of this kind is clinically useful in its sensitivity to fluctuations or deterioration in the patient's mental state. It could also be used with advantage in multi-centre research by providing a standard criterion for the assessment of post-traumatic amnesia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Design problems in research on rehabilitation after brain damage.

This paper is based on a report to the Committee on Coordination of Research into Rehabilitation after Closed Head Injury and Stroke, sponsored by the Medical Research Council (MRC). A review is presented of some of the most important factors to be considered in rehabilitation studies, drawing attention to some of the more common pitfalls.

Brain Injuries↗
PubMed1978

Clinical and anatomic findings in a case of auditory agnosia.

A case is reported of severe agnosia for verbal and nonverbal sounds in a setting of well-preserved intelligence and transient dysphasic symptoms. The lesions responsible for this disorder were bilateral cerebral infarcts, one of which had virtually destroyed the areas of Wernicke and Broca. The relation between lesions and disabilities is discussed and comparisons made with other published cases.

Aged↗
PubMed1975

Acquired dyslexia: patterns of deficit and recovery.

These preliminary results are concerned with the quantitative description of recovery of function and the shape of the recovery curve. Four patients, in whom dylexia was the salient residual symptom of cerebral damage, are described. Individual differences in the pattern of dyslexic error and the time course of recovery are discussed; and recovery--as measured by longitudinal studies of performance in reading tasks--is analysed in terms of a model which takes into account rate of learning and the eventual asymptote. It is suggested that these or analogous techiques may be relevant both for the design of remedial programmes and for problems of prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Fact and theory in recovery from the aphasias.

Clinical evidence has suggested that the form of an aphasia--and perhaps potential for recovery therefrom--can be related to an exceedingly wide range of variables. Such anatomico-physiological considerations as size, depth, location and nature (e.g. penetrating missile injury, stroke, tumour, closed head injury) of the injury are frequently held to be crucial correlates, as are associated neurological deficits (e.g. presence of hemiplegia, sensory and visual field defects). Subject variables, such as age, sex and 'handedness" (including familial handedness), complicate the picture still further, as may differences in education personality and cognitive style. Given a multidimensional problem of this magnitude the first objective of theory is to indicate putative constrainst on patterns of impaired performance. Studies of the normal population--that is, the population from which cases of brain injury are later drawn--may, we believe, aid in the elucidation of individual differences seen after injury. A more detailed knowledge of the range of possibilities concerning cerebral specialization of function and variations in task strategies seems to be required. In this context we shall review some recent reports on dichotic listening and split visual field experiments with both normal and brain-damaged subjects and also consider the role that linguistic descriptions of aphasic impairment could play in suggesting retraining procedures appropriate to the individual patient.

Aphasia↗