CT scan measures and laterality indices : relations between anatomical and functional measures
Date
1986
Authors
Kosaka, Brenda D.
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Abstract
The investigation of the neuroanatomic substrates underlying function has been an important area of study in human neuropsychology and clinical neurology. This study examined the possible relations between measurements of hemispheric widths and lengths from computed tomographic (CT) scans and functional laterality indices of a)results from carotid amytal testing (speech dominance), b)handedness, c)performance on a verbal dichotic listening test, and d) performance on a verbal divided visual field task. Existing procedures (Chui & Damasio,1980; Piendiaz, et al. 1981)) for measuring asymmetries on CT scans were used.
The results, based on a sample of 48 patients with epilepsy, suggest that the non-invasive approach of measuring widths and lengths are not reliable predictors of performance on measures of laterality. Also, the possible neuroanatomic substrates that might underlie language dominance may not be reliably reflected in simple measurements of hemispheric widths and lengths.
Due to the low subject-to-variable ratio, the study needs to be replicated and suggestions are made regarding future designs. Since similar measurement techniques have been used with other clinical populations (e. g . aphasics) with different results, the findings from this current study lead to some speculation regarding the possible effects of epilepsy on brain morphology.