Seashore Rhythm Test performance in patients with unilateral temporal lobe damage

The Seashore Rhythm Test has been reported to be sensitive to right hemisphere dysfunction and, in particular, right temporal lobe integrity. However, several reports have appeared that have failed to support these earlier findings. In the latter studies, the confounding effects of possible bilateral or extratemporal lobe dysfunction in the patient groups could not be ruled out. The present study investigated the Seashore Rhythm Test performance of 38 right-handed seizure patients with evidence of glucose hypometabolism restricted to the right (n = 23) or left (n = 15) temporal lobe on positron computed tomography. Patients were studied prior to and subsequent to unilateral anterior temporal lobectomy for control of medically intractable seizures. No significant difference was found between right and left temporal lobe dysfunctional patients, either pre- or post-lobectomy, which further corroborates that the Seashore Rhythm Test does not discriminate between patients with right vs. left temporal lobe damage.