Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Exceptional calendar calculation ability after early left hemispherectomy.

C Dorman1

  • 1School of Human Behavior, United States International University, San Diego, CA 92131.

Brain and Cognition
|January 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

A male with a removed left hemisphere demonstrated above-chance date calculation skills. His method involved visual memory and serial calculations, influenced by working memory capacity.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Reading disability subtypes in neurologically-impaired students.

Annals of dyslexia·2013
Same author

The effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on neurobehavioral outcome: a meta-analysis.

Neurotoxicology and teratology·1999
Same author

Microcephaly and intelligence.

Developmental medicine and child neurology·1991
Same author

Language and learning disorders of older boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Developmental medicine and child neurology·1988
Same author

Verbal, perceptual and intellectual factors associated with reading achievement in adolescents with cerebral palsy.

Perceptual and motor skills·1987
Same author

Classification of reading disability in a case of congenital brain damage.

Neuropsychologia·1985

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Hemispherectomy, the surgical removal of one cerebral hemisphere, can lead to significant neuroplastic changes.
  • Understanding cognitive functions after extensive brain surgery provides insights into brain organization and compensation mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the calculation abilities of an individual who underwent a left hemispherectomy at a young age.
  • To explore the cognitive strategies employed for date calculation in the absence of a complete cerebral hemisphere.

Main Methods:

  • Case study of an 18-year-old male with a history of left hemispherectomy.
  • Assessment of calendar calculation skills for past and future dates.
  • Analysis of calculation methods, including response time, accuracy, and interference effects from memory tasks.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • The subject exhibited a statistically significant ability to calculate the day of the week for given dates.
  • Calculation strategies involved a combination of visual memory and serial processing.
  • Performance metrics indicated a reliance on serial calculation and working memory, with interference observed from concurrent cognitive tasks.

Conclusions:

  • Individuals who have undergone hemispherectomy can develop remarkable compensatory cognitive skills.
  • The findings support theories on the plasticity of the brain and the potential for intact hemispheres to support complex cognitive functions.
  • The case offers a unique perspective on the neural underpinnings of calculation and memory.