Organicity and mental retardation: organic mental syndrome battery

Fifteen mentally retarded children were tested and compared to 10 normal school children. They were administered a battery of tests reflecting organic brain disease, consisting of the Face-Hand, Midline Crossing and Independent Eye Movements Tests. Normals performed correctly 98% of the time on the three combined tests, while the mentally retarded scored only 34% correct. There was a significant correlation between IQ and this battery of tests (the 'OMSB'). When the IQ and OMSB were conflicting, a repeat of the former indicated that the IQ value was erroneous. The OMSB may be useful along with IQ testing as a rapid screening method to evaluate the presence of organicity and its severity.