Psychopathology of frontal lobe syndromes

In this review, some basic aspects of frontal lobe functioning have been discussed and methods of testing for frontal lobe abnormalities outlined. It has been emphasized that the frontal lobes are affected in a number of diseases, which cover a broad spectrum of neuropsychiatric problems. Furthermore, it is suggested that the frontal lobes are involved in syndromes not traditionally thought to be related to frontal lobe dysfunction, for example, schizophrenia, and rarer presentations such as misidentification syndromes. Frontal lobe dysfunction often goes unrecognized, especially in patients who have normal neurologic testing and apparently intact IQ when routine methods of investigation are employed. Although marked disturbances of behavior following frontal lobe dysfunction have now been described for well over 120 years, these large areas of the human brain, and their links with some of the highest attributes of mankind, have been relatively neglected and are worthy of much further exploration by those interested in neuropsychiatric problems.