Bender-Gestalt Research Articles

The Effects of Pediatric Renal Transplantation on Neurocognitive Function

Introduction: Neurocognitive dysfunction is one of the major complications of chronic renal failure (CRF). Uremic state during CRF encompasses a wide spectrum of neurobehavioral and neurological disturbances. Recent studies showed that the pathophysiology of neurocognitive dysfunction in CRF is related with plasma levels of uremic solutes. Successful renal transplantation improves renal, metabolic and endocrine functions and the quality of life. The aim of our study is to determine the state of neurocognitive function in pediatric renal transplantation recipients. Methods: We prospectively performed a neurological examination and neuropsychological test battery (Bender-Gestalt Test, Cancellation Test, Visual and Auditory Number Assay Test) in 20 pediatric renal transplant recipients between 6 and 16 years old. Twenty healthy children were included to the study as the control group. Mean age of the renal transplant recipients was 13.50±3.40 years old. Mean evaluation time after transplantation was 2.0±0.5 years. Results: Bender-Gestalt Test was in abnormal in 40% of patients. The results of the Cancellation Test and Visual and Auditory Number Assay Test showed significant decline in pediatric renal transplant patients when compared with the control. We found that neurocognitive dysfunction was frequent in pediatric renal transplantation patients. Conclusion: Awareness of this potential problem may be helpful to early recognition and treatment. Our findings suggest that periodic neurocognitive assessments may be indicated in transplanted patients.

Erratum

Czarnolewski, M. Y., & Eliot, J. (2012) Exploratory study of the relations between spatial ability and drawing from memory. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 114, 627–640. Table 1, p. 634: the correct correlation between Bender Gestalt and Mazes should be r = −05, and the correct correlation between Bender Gestalt and Eliot Price should be r = −02. Submitted July 11, 2012.

The Relationship between Preschoolers' performance on Bender Gestalt Test and the drawing process

The Relationship between Preschoolers' performance on Bender Gestalt Test and the drawing process

Psychological/Cognitive Aspects in Untreated Neurosyphilis and Treatment with Penicillin G (A Case Study)

Active neurosyphilis is uncommon after the introduction of penicillin. We evaluated the pathology of a case of untreated neurosyphilis that was diagnosed as a manic episode. Examinations were performed before and after high-dose penicillin G treatment. Evaluations included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (Cognistat), the Bender Gestalt Test, an electroencephalogram, and brain magnetic resonance imaging/angiography. The most obvious improvements after treatment with penicillin G were the constructive ability and the ability to draw two- and three-dimensional designs. A paradoxical deterioration in several items on the Cognistat after treatment suggested an impairment in working memory. The clinical and psychological abnormalities observed in this case were speculated to be due to disturbed visual cognition related to encephalitis and impaired working memory related to temporofrontal lobe pathology. Current diagnostic tools were useful for precisely diagnosing and assessing the prognosis of older patients with late-onset mania.

Exploratory Study of the Relations between Spatial Ability and Drawing from Memory

Test scores of 119 students, attending either a public four-year college or a technical school, were related to their proportionality and detail drawing scores on the Memory for Designs Test. In regression models, the ETS Maze Tracing, Eliot-Price Mental Rotations, and Bender-Gestalt tests were consistent predictors of proportionality scores, with the latter two tests uniquely related to these. The ETS Shapes Memory Test and the Form Board Test were the strongest predictors for detail accuracy scores. The Shapes test predicted proportionality when the CTY Visual Memory Test BB was excluded. The models then provided support for the hypothesis that drawing designs from memory, a critical skill in drawing, regardless of whether one focuses on accuracy for proportionality scores or for detail scores, is jointly related to the measures of recognition, production, and traditional spatial ability measures. This study identified multifaceted skills in drawing from memory.

Neurocognitive evaluation in children with occipital lobe epilepsy

PurposeThis study aimed to explore cognitive functions in patients with childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms (CEOP) and to compare the performance of these patients with that of patients with symptomatic occipital epilepsy (SOE) and healthy control subjects. MethodTwenty-eight patients with epilepsy (17 CEOP, 11 SOE) were enrolled. The control group had similar demographical characteristics. Cognitive functions evaluated with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-revised edition (WISC-R), The Visual Aural Digit Span (VADS) and Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test (BVMG). ResultsThe WISC-R showed lower performance IQ with WISC-R in patients with occipital epilepsy than in healthy controls. The VADS test only showed lower scores in children with symptomatic occipital epilepsy. Mean BVMG test scores were significantly abnormal in both subgroups of childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms (early-onset CEOP/late-onset CEOP) and the group with SOE. ConclusionPatients with CEOP, especially the late-onset form, have significant problems in the domains of visuomotor coordination, memory and attention. The academic performance of these patients should be monitored carefully in follow-up and appropriate educational support should be given as necessary.

Cognitive functions in euthymic adolescents with juvenile bipolar disorder

Introduction Bipolar disorder in adolescents is often referred to as juvenile bipolar disorder. A peak in the prevalence of bipolar disorder has been documented between the ages of 15 and 19 years. Wide-ranging neuropsychological deficits have been found in many studies of juvenile bipolar disorder. Persistent neuropsychological deficits present in the euthymic state suggest that such deficits could be vulnerability trait markers of the illness. Aim To identify and assess cognitive functioning in euthymic adolescents diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Participants and methods A case–control cross sectional study, in which 30 euthymic bipolar adolescents were recruited from the psychiatric adolescent clinic of Kasr al Ainy and compared with 30 healthy controls. Psychometric procedure The Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression, the Young Mania Rating Scale, the letter cancellation test, the digit span and digit symbol/coding tests, the Bender gestalt test and the Wisconsin card sorting test were used. Results Cases had significantly higher mean scores than controls in the letter cancellation test and its omission errors as well as in the perseverative errors of the Wisconsin card sorting test, and lower mean scores in the digit span, digit symbol coding and the Bender gestalt tests. There was a significant positive correlation between the number of omission errors on the letter cancellation test and both of the number of manic episodes and the age of onset of the illness. Conclusion There are neuropsychological deficits in the areas of sustained attention, set shifting, processing speed and visual and auditory short-term memory in euthymic bipolar adolescent patients, type I. There is a significant correlation between the number of manic episodes as well as age of illness onset and sustained attention.

Fiabilidad en el Test Gestáltico de Bender – 2da versión, en una muestra independiente de calificadores

This paper examines inter-scorer agreement with regard to the new version of the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test 2nd Edition (Bender-II). This new version includes significant changes in scoring and administration processes, and psychometric studies in Spanish language have not been published yet. Ours is among the first studies to analyze measurement error of Bender-II scores among an independent sample. The sample was made up of first and second grade primary school children from a private school, and 4 scorer students from a private university. We analyzed the level of inter-scorer agreement (intraclass correlation and Pearson) and internal consistency (Cronbach alpha). High coefficients were obtained for both the internal consistency (Cronbach alpha> 0.80) and for inter-scorer agreement in the total sample (ICC> 0.85) and in paired comparisons (ICC> 0.72) of the scores. Nevertheless, scorers showed less agreement on the items. Pearson correlations between scorers were > 0.85. We discuss the impact of reliability and the new Bender-II scoring method, as well as subsequent lines of research with this new instrument.

Presurgical neuropsychological and behavioral evaluation of children with posterior fossa tumors

Brain tumors are associated with behavioral and neuropsychological effects. Most available data are focused on the posttreatment neurological and cognitive deficits of these patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pretreatment neuropsychological and behavioral impairment in children with posterior fossa tumors. The authors studied 24 children with posterior fossa tumors who were between 4 and 15 years of age, and who were surgically treated at the authors' institute. During the period prior to the tumor excision, neuropsychological and behavioral assessments were performed. A control group of age-matched children was also studied. The children's executive functions were assessed using the short form of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). For the assessment of visuospatial functions, spatial memory, and visuomotor integration skills, the Bender-Gestalt Test (BGT) was used. For assessment of the visual perception and visual memory, the authors used the Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT). Furthermore, parents or caregivers completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The WISC revealed no significant difference between patients and the control group. The CBCL revealed significant somatic concerns compared with the measure's norms. Furthermore, the patients differed in aggressiveness, somatic concerns, anxiety symptoms, internalizing of problems, and total problems. In the BGT and the BVRT results, no significant difference was observed between patients and the control group. Furthermore, no significant correlation was found between neuropsychological scores and sex, age at diagnosis, histological diagnosis, presence of hydrocephalus, degree of hydrocephalus, tumor size, and tumor location. Children with posterior fossa tumors suffer more frequently from somatic concerns, aggressiveness, anxiety, and internalizing disorders compared with controls. No difference was found with respect to intelligence scores.

Impacto do nascimento pré-termo e com baixo peso na cognição, comportamento e aprendizagem de escolares

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto do nascimento pré-termo e com baixo peso no neurodesenvolvimento, na cognição e, consequentemente, na aprendizagem de crianças e adolescentes em idade escolar. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal caso-controle de 120 escolares com idades entre seis e 15 anos, regularmente matriculados no Ensino Fundamental e pareados socioeconomicamente. Todos foram submetidos ao protocolo de avaliação neuropsicológica, neurológica e escolar. O Grupo Propósito (GP) foi formado por 60 escolares nascidos com idade gestacional <37 semanas e peso <2500g. O Grupo Controle (GC) foi composto de 24 escolares irmãos dos sujeitos GP e 36 escolares vizinhos colegas dos sujeitos GP. Entre os instrumentos utilizados estão: WISC III, Teste Guestáltico Bender, Trail Making Test, Figura Complexa de Rey, Teste Neuropsicológico Luria Nebraska-C, Escala Comportamental A2 de Rutter, Lista de Verificação Comportamental para Crianças e Adolescentes e Teste de Desempenho Escolar. A comparação entre os grupos foi feita por teste de Fisher, Mann-Whitney e ANOVA. RESULTADOS: O GP mostrou resultados desfavoráveis em coordenação viso-motora (87% do GP), desenvolvimento psicomotor geral (75%), habilidade viso-construtiva (73%), raciocínio matemático (66%), habilidade tátil-cinestésica (65%) e memória visual (60%), todos com p=0,001. O QI dos sujeitos do GP mostrou-se, na média, 10 pontos abaixo do GC. CONCLUSÕES: Os escolares nascidos pré-termo e com baixo peso apresentaram alterações funcionais cerebrais específicas, associadas aos transtornos cognitivo-comportamentais e de aprendizagem.

A comparative study on the neuropsychological status of delinquent and non-delinquent boys

There exists a significant link between neuropsychological variation and delinquency. The present study is an attempt to differentiate the delinquents from the non-delinquents on the basis of the most commonly and clinically used neuropsychological measures so that an early identification of neuropsychological parameters in children can prevent delinquent outcomes. The sample consisted of 40 delinquent boys (mean age: 15.7 years) taken from an Observation Home situated at Ludhiana in the state of Punjab, India, and 40 non-delinquent boys (mean age: 15 years) attending a regular school. The neuropsychological examination of both groups was carried out by administering (1) the Standard Progressive Matrices Test, (2) the Bender- Gestalt Test and (3) the Stroop Color and Word Test. Significant group differences were found on non-verbal intelligence, visual motor performance and language function. Delinquents scored lower in the intelligence test, made extreme deviant reproductions of Bender Gestalt designs an...

Cognitive and developmental influences in visual-motor integration skills in young children.

Measures of visual-motor integration skills continue to be widely used in psychological assessments with children. However, the construct validity of many visual-motor integration measures remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the relative contributions of maturation and cognitive skills to the development of visual-motor integration skills in young children (N = 856). We used a block regression analysis to determine the contribution of maturation, as indicated by age, followed by broad cognitive factors (Study 1) and subsequently by individual subtests in verbal and nonverbal domains subsumed under each factor (Study 2) in explaining score variance of the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test (2nd ed.; BG-II; Brannigan & Decker, 2003) Copy and Recall scores in children between the ages of 4 and 7 years. Results confirm that maturation accounted for a large proportion of variance in both BG-II Copy and Recall performance, above which Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (5th ed.; SB-5; Roid, 2003) Quantitative Reasoning and Fluid Reasoning factors significantly contributed to visual-motor integration performance for the Copy phase, and SB-5 Quantitative Reasoning and Visual-Spatial factors accounted for a significant amount of variance for the Recall phase. Additionally, nonverbal domains were more related to visual-motor performance than verbal domains. Results from this study are interpreted to suggest nonverbal reasoning and visual-spatial attention are important contributing factors to visual-motor integration, as measured by the BG-II. Developmental implications of visual-motor integration skills, nonverbal problem solving, and mathematical competence are discussed.

Preschoolers' performance on Bender Gestalt Test analyzed by the digital pen

Preschoolers' performance on Bender Gestalt Test analyzed by the digital pen

Paranoid tip şizofreni tanısı alan bir hastada reduplikatif paramnezi, intermetamorfoz ve capgras sendromu birlikteliği: Bir olgu sunumu / The co-occurence of reduplicative paramnesia, intermetamorphosis and capgras syndrome: a case presentation

Delusional misidentification syndromes include a group of delusional disorders involving a belief that the person(s)/ object(s)/ or place(s) around the patient have changed or have been changed. Those disorders can develop on the basis of mental or neurological disorders. In this paper, a case with Capgras syndrome, intermetamorphosis and reduplicative paramnesia is presented. The patient was a fourty-three years old female and her complaints had been continuing for five years. She displayed reduplicative paramnesia, intermetamorphosis and Capgras syndrome in her history. Her mental status examination scores was 100 for Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS, positive signs: 26, negative signs: 20, general psychopathology: 54) and 23 for Mini Mental Test. No pathology could be found in Bender Gestalt test. Because her physical and neurological examinations, as well as laboratory results and imaging findings were unremarkable, she was thought to fulfill the diagnosis criteria for Schizophrenia-Paranoid Type (Continuous Course) and she was given 10 sessions of electroconvulsive therapy. The patient was presented in this case report because she had a comorbidity consisting of Capgras syndrome, reduplicative paramnesia and intermetamorphosis and she responded favorably to electroconvulsive treatment.

小児のBender-Gestalt Testについて

小児のBender-Gestalt Testについて

P01-353 - A comparative efficacy of holistic multidimensional treatment model (HMTM) and applied behavioral analysis (ABA) in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

IntroductionSeveral approaches have been presented for treatment of children with ASD. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of Holistic Multidimensional Treatment Model (HMTM) with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) in the improvement of clinical symptoms of children with ASD.MethodThe present study was an experimental pre and post test research. The statistical population included the 3 to 8 year old children with ASD who were referred to the child psychiatry clinics in two academic Hospitals- Mashhad,Iran. The sample included 20 children who were selected with convenience sampling and randomly divided to 2 groups of ABA (8 boys and 2 girls) and HMTM (7 boys and 3 girls).The diagnosis was made by a child psychiatrist based on DSM-IV-TR criteria and using Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADIR) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).Then the children were referred to Noore Hedayat center for the treatment. Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Bender Gestalt Test, Draw-A-Man Test Good enough, Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices Test for children, Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS) and performance charts of children based on their videotaped behaviors. Data analysis was done using ANCOVA test.ResultsFindings showed that in spite of more efficacy of HMTM compared to ABA, the differences of standard tests except Bender Gestalt Test and performance charts did not reach to the significant level(p > 0.05).ConclusionIn conclusion, HMTM at least had the equal efficacy to ABA in the treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Further researches are needed to compare the efficacy of these 2 methods.

Turkish Children's Bender-Gestalt Test Performance: Differences in Public and Private School Children

The present study was undertaken to provide data on the Bender-Gestalt test for children aged 5 to 11 in Turkey. Although it is well documented that sociocultural factors are important in cognitive evaluations, the effects of type of school and differing educational opportunities provided by these schools on the Bender-Gestalt test have not been previously investigated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of age, sex, and school type on Bender-Gestalt performance. The test was individually administered to 484 children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. The children were enrolled in either public or private schools. Koppitz's Developmental Scoring System was utilized. The results indicated that older children performed with fewer errors. Girls performed with fewer errors than boys. Finally, as expected, private school children outperformed their public school peers. The results are discussed with respect to the importance of taking into account various educational factors in utilizing commonly used tests.

The Use of the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test with Substance Abuse Patients

The aim of this study was comparison of the function of patients with substance abuse disorder and normal individuals in Bender Gestalt Test. Two hundred volunteers (100 patients, 100 normals) were included in this research. The result showed that the clinical group has higher number of errors in Bender- Gestalt test than the non clinical group. This result can be explained in terms of several mechanisms including visual–perceptor, visual–motor deficits, attention and executive functions impairment (response inhibition & decision-making) and cognitive impulsivity. Other possible reason for this difference between the two groups is neuropsychological alterations prior to the drug use and the existence of neuropsychological impairments that are produced as a result of drug use.

The standardised copy of pentagons test

BackgroundThe 'double-diamond copy' task is a simple paper and pencil test part of the Bender-Gestalt Test and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Although it is a widely used test, its method of scoring is crude and its psychometric properties are not adequately known. The aim of the present study was to develop a sensitive and reliable method of administration and scoring.MethodsThe study sample included 93 normal control subjects (53 women and 40 men) aged 35.87 ± 12.62 and 127 patients suffering from schizophrenia (54 women and 73 men) aged 34.07 ± 9.83.ResultsThe scoring method was based on the frequencies of responses of healthy controls and proved to be relatively reliable with Cronbach's α equal to 0.61, test-retest correlation coefficient equal to 0.41 and inter-rater reliability equal to 0.52. The factor analysis produced two indices and six subscales of the Standardised Copy of Pentagons Test (SCPT). The total score as well as most of the individual items and subscales distinguished between controls and patients. The discriminant function correctly classified 63.44% of controls and 75.59% of patients.DiscussionThe SCPT seems to be a satisfactory, reliable and valid instrument, which is easy to administer, suitable for use in non-organic psychiatric patients and demands minimal time. Further research is necessary to test its psychometric properties and its usefulness and applications as a neuropsychological test.

Neurocognitive Profiles of Children with Moyamoya Disease before and after Surgical Intervention

Background: Clinical research on moyamoya disease (MMD) has focused on symptomatic outcome such as transient ischemic attacks. Neurocognitive function in children critically affects social outcome and is closely related to quality of life. This study is the first to analyze the neurocognitive profiles of children with MMD before and after surgery. Methods: Sixty-five patients were selected out of 137 who underwent surgery for MMD between 2006 and 2008. The preoperative and postoperative neurocognitive function was tested using the Korean version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (KEDI-WISC-R) and the Bender Gestalt Test (BGT). Pre- and postoperative profiles of patients with or without major infarctions were compared. Patients with borderzone infarctions were analyzed as well. Results: Preoperatively, patients had age-appropriate full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) and verbal IQ (VIQ) scores, which were maintained after surgery. There was significant improvement in performance IQ (PIQ) (p = 0.01) and BGT scores postoperatively (p < 0.01). Among the subtests, Coding showed significant improvement postoperatively (p < 0.01). Preoperatively, patients with major infarctions had significantly lower FSIQ (p < 0.01), VIQ (p = 0.01) and PIQ (p < 0.01) scores compared with those without infarctions. The pre- and postoperative neurocognitive profiles of the patients with borderzone infarctions fell between those of patients with absolutely no infarctions and those of patients with major infarctions. Conclusions: Considering the natural history of MMD, which leads to a drastic decline in neurocognitive functions, the present findings indicate a role for early active surgery to save the intellectual abilities of children with MMD.