Decision strategies in neuropsychology I: determination of lateralized cerebral dysfunction

This study addressed the issue concerning neuropsychological assessment and the determination of hemispheric lateralization. Based upon the different processing strategies employed by each hemisphere, several neuropsychological tests were hypothesized to discriminate between left hemisphere and right hemisphere damage. Lesion localization was determined by neurological examination, electroencephalography, and/or neuroradiological procedures for the 111 patients (47 right hemisphere, 64 left hemisphere) who were given a neuropsychological evaluation. Two strategies are presented for lateralizing cerebral impairment, a discriminant analysis and a decision process using one standard deviation as a cut-off point. These two strategies are compared with The Key Approach of Russell, Neuringer, and Goldstein (1970) and Simpson and Vega's WAIS Sign Test. The efficacy of decision strategies used to predict lateralization is discussed.