[Postoperative mental blocking in a continuous reaction task. With supplementary results showing the influence of age...

By means of a four colour device for measuring continuous reaction sequences the mental blockings of brain damaged patients in comparison with patients suffering from skin disease were determined. Differences due to age were also investigated. The analysis of frequency distribution of reaction times (dissection method according to Daeves and Beckel) yielded the following results: a) Brain damaged patients show a higher percentage of blockings (23%) than patients suffering from skin-disease (10%). "Normal" reaction times as well as "blockings" are not prolonged significantly. b) Older patients show prolonged normal reaction times and prolonged blockings without increase in the percentage of blockings. c) Patients with left hemisphere lesions show longer normal reaction times than those who undergo right hemisphere operations. The results are discussed with regard to their significance for theory and practice (road accidents).