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Biomedical subjects

G J Chelune

Publications and source records attributed to G J Chelune.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Factor structure of the Wechsler memory scale-revised in relation to age and educational level.

The factor structure of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised was examined for 3 age groups ( or= 56) and three educational levels (< 12, 12. > 12) in a large group of patients (n = 434) referred for examination at two large medical centers. The subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale Revised were subjected to principal components factor analyses. A separate set of analyses were performed that included the Verbal IQ and Performance IQ scores from the WAIS-R. Consistent with previous reports of age related changes in spatial function there appeared to be somewhat greater loading of nonverbal memory tests on verbal factors with increasing age. Inclusion of IQ scores appeared to have an affect on the content and relative prominence of the various factors in those subgroups formed on the basis of educational level. The results are discussed in regard to clinical use of the WMS-R and directions for future research.

Journal Article↗

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalopathy.

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalopathy (PLE) is a remote, nonmetastatic complication of carcinoma. Neuropsychiatric symptoms consists of cognitive, affective, and behavioral changes that can predate the diagnosis of carcinoma by as much as 6 years. The most striking feature is the development of an amnestic syndrome without generalized intellectual decline. We report a case of PLE, including neuropsychological test results, and review the features of similar cases in the literature. The postulated causes and clinical implications of PLE are discussed.

Carcinoma, Small Cell↗

Developmental norms for the Wisconsin Card Sorting test.

While the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) has been used widely among adult populations to evaluate the effects of frontal-lobe lesions, no comparable work has been done among younger populations due, in part, to the lack of an adequate normative base. This study presents developmental norms by age for the WCST for 105 school-age children. The data indicate that, by the time children are 10 years old, their performance on the WCST is indistinguishable from that of normal adults. Examination of the acquisition curves by age for Categories Achieved, Perseverative Errors, and Failures to Maintain Set reveals developmental changes that roughly correspond with neuroanatomical changes in the brain and cognitive stages of development. The present developmental norms are intended to complement and extend existing adult norms for the WCST and to facilitate the clinical use of the WCST as a neuropsychological test in child populations.

Attention↗

Self-disclosure patterns in clinical and nonclinical couples.

Examined differences in the self-disclosing patterns of 10 clinical and 10 nonclinical couples in a structured interview using the Self-Disclosure Coding System (SDCS), a behavioral content analysis system designed to assess the basic parameters of disclosing behavior. A discriminant function analysis revealed that two SDCS variables, (1) time spent talking; and (2) judged degree of congruence between verbal content and affective manner of presentation, could discriminate the two groups and would classify correctly 70% of the couples. These results suggest that it is not what clinical couples say, but how they say it that will distinguish them from nonclinical couples.

Adult↗

Self-disclosure and its relationship to marital intimacy.

Examined the relationship between marital intimacy and self-disclosure from a multidimensional framework within a sample of 10 clinical and 10 nonclinical married couples. The linear combination of various parameters of self-disclosing behavior was able to account for 71.7% (R = .853) of the variance in intimacy ratings derived from a structured interview. Results are discussed in terms of both the role that self-disclosure plays in the development of marital intimacy and its therapeutic benefits and limitations in marital therapy.

Adult↗

Verbal impairment in alcoholics.

Research utilizing psychometric and neuropsychological measures has shown that alcoholics are impaired on visual-spatial tasks. Recent studies have also shown alcoholics are impaired on novel verbal tasks as well. The present study was undertaken to determine the degree of impairment among alcoholics in visual-spatial versus verbal tasks. Limited support for the hypothesis that alcoholics are impaired in verbal abilities was obtained in that the WAIS Vocabulary subtest discriminated between alcoholics and nonalcoholics. These findings are discussed in light of both the tendency to interpret neuropsychological tests in a rather simple fashion and the need for further research into the verbal functioning of alcoholics.

Alcoholism↗

Marital intimacy and self-disclosure.

Examined the relationship between the qualitative aspects of marital intimacy among 20 couples and a quantitative, microanalysis of their self-disclosing behavior. Two interview segments and their combination were scored for the basic parameters of self-disclosure using the Self-Disclosure Coding System (SDCS). These scores served as predictor variables for each of 12 intimacy dimensions derived from the standardized, structured Victoria Hospital Intimacy Interview in stepwise multiple regression analyses. The resulting multiple Rs ranged from .357 for Sexuality in segment I to .853 for Identity in segment II. Analysis of the couples' self-disclosures across segments I and II yielded multiple Rs from .446 to .850, with the intimacy dimensions of Expressiveness, Compatibility, Behavior, and Identity the highest correlates. These results suggest that although self-disclosure and intimacy are not synonymous, self-disclosing behavior is a major determinant of various aspects of marital intimacy and accounts for more than 50% of the variance in at least four dimensions. Explanations for these findings and their clinical relevance are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Level and variability of performance on neuropsychological tests.

Compared non-specific variability across subtests and overall level of performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Halstead-Reitan Battery (HRB) for normal, schizophrenic, acute and chronic brain-damaged Ss. Both variability and level of performance measures for each of the two test batteries significantly distinguished normal from abnormal Ss, but the HRB measures were more sensitive. Intra-S variability across subtests had a significant negative correlation with level of performance on the HRB, but not on the WAIS. This correlation could not be accounted for fully by a ceiling effect and was thought to represent in part a characteristic feature of ts performance on the HRB. While WAIS variability appeared to be independent of level of performance, it was not much help in differentiating between the four S groups. It was concluded that non-specific variability across subtests is not a helpful independent measure of neuropsychological function on the two batteries studied.

Adult↗

Using neuropsychological and personality tests to assess the likelihood of patient employment.

This study assessed the ability deficits and personality disturbances associated with three levels of employment in patients referred for neuropsychological testing. Highly significant group differences were found, with the unemployed group consistently showing greatest pathology on the tests, the full time employed group performing relatively normally, and the part time employed group earning intermediate scores. A discriminant function which used both neuropsychological and personality measures was found to discriminate unemployed from full time employed patients satisfactorily. Classification rates achieved by the function for validation and cross-validation samples support its clinical utility in identifying new patients who are at high risk for unemployment. It appears that psychological tests commonly used in neurological and psychiatric diagnosis can also help predict some aspects of patients' abilities to function in everyday life.

Adolescent↗

Extent of resection in temporal lobectomy for epilepsy. II. Memory changes and neurologic complications.

We present correlations of extent of temporal lobectomy for intractable epilepsy with postoperative memory changes (20 cases) and abnormalities of visual field and neurologic examination (45 cases). Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the coronal plane was used to quantify anteroposterior extent of resection of various quadrants of the temporal lobe, using a 20-compartment model of that structure. The Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) was administered preoperatively and postoperatively. Postoperative decrease in percentage of retention of verbal material correlated with extent of medial resection of left temporal lobe, whereas decrease in percentage of retention of visual material correlated with extent of medial resection of right temporal lobe. These correlations approached but did not reach statistical significance. Extent of resection correlated significantly with the presence of visual field defect on perimetry testing but not with severity, denseness, or congruity of the defect. There was no correlation between postoperative dysphasia and extent of resection in any quadrant. Assessment of extent of resection after temporal lobectomy allows a rational interpretation of postoperative neurologic deficits in light of functional anatomy of the temporal lobe.

Aphasia↗