Memory functioning in hemiplegics: a neuropsychological analysis of the Wechsler Memory scale

The Wechsler Memory Scale was administered to 60 hemiplegics and 30 amputees who were matched by age, education, and sex. The results indicated that the orientation subtest has diagnostic value in discriminating between left- and right-sided brain damage in patients and that the right hemisphere may play a proportionately larger role for temporal orientation. The mental control and digits backward subtests seem to be measuring a composite of different cortical functions which are not represented equally in both cerebral hemispheres. Optimal performance on these tests requires interhemispheric integration among these cortical functions. Unilateral damage to either side of the brain would interfere with a special part of the composite function subserved by the damaged hemisphere and produce comparable detrimental effects on performance. The logical memory, digits forward, and associate learning subtests measure memory functions which are equipotentially represented in both hemispheres. Damage to either side of the brain would have no effect on the performance of these tasks. In general, the neuropsychological analysis suggests that the Wechsler Memory Scale has diagnostic value in assessing short-term memory impairment in brain damaged patients. However, memory quotient obtained by summing the total subtest scores has very little value in discriminating between left- and right-sided brain lesions.