Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery Research Articles

Intellectual and cognitive function in adults with myotonic muscular dystrophy.

Intellectual and cognitive function was studied in 43 patients (21 men and 22 women) with myotonic muscular dystrophy (MMD). The inheritance distribution was 18 paternal, 10 maternal, and 15 unknown. All patients received the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, the Wechsler Memory Scale, the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery, and the Aphasia Screening Test. Significantly lower scores (p less than 0.05) were found on all intellectual and cognitive impairment tests in both men and women of the maternal inheritance MMD subgroup, compared with the paternal inheritance MMD subgroup and with the normative data. Scores for patients with paternally inherited disease did not differ significantly from normative data for verbal, performance, or full scale intelligence quotients and memory quotients. There were no significant differences in intellectual and cognitive test scores between men and women for the group as a whole, for the maternal inheritance subgroup, or for the paternal inheritance subgroup. It is suggested that inheritance pattern is a necessary variable in studies investigating intellectual and cognitive function in MMD. Although the reason for the association of lower intellectual and cognitive function in MMD of maternal inheritance is not known, the data presented here may be useful for genetic counseling.

Neuropsychological deficits in active licensed professional boxers.

Young, active, licensed professional boxers (N = 19) were found to display a pattern of neuropsychological deficits consistent with the more severe punch-drunk syndrome of years past. These deficits resulted in significantly lower test performance than that of control athletes (N = 10) matched for race, age, and level of education. Tests that showed significant differences between groups include subtests of the Quick Neurological Screening Test, subtests of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery, and the Randt Memory Test. Fifteen of the 19 boxers scored in the impaired range of the Reitan Impairment Index, as compared to 2 of the 10 controls.

Intellectual, academic and neuropsychological performance levels in learning disabled adults.

Normative data are provided for intellectual, academic achievement and neuropsychological tests based on a sample of 100 learning disabled adults. The tests used included the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, The Wide Range Achievement Test, a measure of reading comprehension and components of The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. The sample was characterized as being of dull normal intelligence with lower verbal than performance IQs. Scores on achievement tests were substantially below grade level. The average neuropsychological test profile formed a pattern characterized by intact nonverbal memory and problem solving ability, with mildly impaired levels of attentional, motor and speech discrimination skills. It was concluded that the cognitive profile found in learning disabled adults is not dissimilar from what is typically found in learning disabled children.

Construct dependence of the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological test battery on response time

Construct dependence of the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological test battery on response time

Response time as a dependent measure on the category test of the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological test battery

The role of response time on the Category Test of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRNB) was examined. Seventy-two normal adult volunteers were administered the complete HRNB. Average response times for individual slides were computed for correct (CRT), incorrect (IRT), and total (TRT) scores on the Category Test. The utility of these response-time scores was examined in the context of other HRNB variables seen to be factorially related to the Category Test. Results from a stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that approximately 15% of the variability in Category error scores was explained by a measure of spatial memory (TPT-location), and an additional 15% was accounted for by response time (TRT and IRT). A factor analysis indicated that the three measures of response time loaded on a factor that accounted for 21% of the explained variability in HRNB performance.

Relative utility of three indices of neuropsychological impairment in a young, chronic schizophrenic population.

The complete Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale were administered to 20 young, male, chronic schizophrenics. Three commonly used indices of neuropsychological impairment were calculated and compared. Although all three indices were similar in separating computerized axial tomography normal from abnormal patients, statistical significance was achieved only with the Halstead Impairment Index. Thus, the easier-to-obtain Halstead Impairment Index appears to be at least as good as, and possibly better than, the more-difficult-to-obtain indices of Percent of Ratings within the Impaired Range and the Average Impairment Rating. Reasons for these findings are discussed.

Cognitive profiles of some subtypes of learning disabled adults

Test profiles of 100 learning disabled adults were analyzed in an attempt to determine if patterns of learning disability subtypes which have been identified in children also persist into adulthood. On the basis of Wide Range Achievement Test reading and arithmetic grade level scores, subjects were classified into one of three subgroups. The classification resulted in finding 32 subjects who were substantially better at reading than arithmetic, 17 who were better at arithmetic than reading, and the remaining 51 with less than a 1.5-year grade level discrepancy between reading and arithmetic. Subgroup membership was used as the independent variable in a series of one-way analyses of variance which tested for differences in performance patterns on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and components of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. While results support the view that most learning disabled individuals do not have specific disabilities, results suggest that it is possible to identify relatively small specific subtypes similar to those previously identified in learning disabled children, with some doing well at reading but poorly at arithmetic, and others doing very poorly at reading but relatively better, but not normally, at arithmetic. Cognitive testing of the first of these two specific subtypes revealed particular deficits in visual-spatial, nonverbal problem solving and complex psychomotor tasks. The second subtype did better on tasks of that type, but poorly on linguistic tasks.

Effect of age, sex, drinking history and antisocial personality on neuropsychology of alcoholics.

The effects of age, sex, drinking history and the presence of antisocial personality (ASP) on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery subtest scores of alcoholics were examined. Subjects (172 men and 72 women) were recruited from three inpatient alcoholism treatment facilities in the Hartford area and were evaluated approximately 1 week after admission. Brain Age Quotients (BAQ) were computed for each subject. The mean BAQ score for the total sample (84.1) was slightly more than one standard deviation below the normative value. Performance on the WAIS was within normal limits for both verbal and performance IQ. Scores on the Halstead-Reitan Battery showed evidence of moderate levels of impairment. Age was found to be the most significant factor affecting neuropsychological performance. It was observed that alcoholic subjects under 40 years of age performed at the lower end of the normal range of performance; older subjects showed mild to moderately severe levels of impairment. Significant interactional effects were observed between age, amount of alcohol consumed and sex for Tactual Performance Test total time. The presence of ASP interacted with sex to affect performance on Block Design and the Category Test such that ASP men performed at higher levels and ASP women at lower levels than their non-ASP counterparts. The ASP diagnosis also interacted with alcohol consumption to affect scores on Block Design. Possible explanations of these findings are discussed.

Psychological adjustment and neuropsychological performance in diabetic patients.

The Faschingbauer Abbreviated MMPI (FAM) was utilized to compare diabetic (N = 39) with non-diabetic chronic illness patients (N = 20) and healthy controls (N = 24). The healthy controls were significantly different from the diabetic and chronic illnesses groups, but the latter two groups were not significantly differentiated. Similarly, in comparison with the healthy groups, both the chronic illnesses group and the diabetic group had significant elevations on the first three clinical subscales of the FAM: Hypochondriasis, Depression, and Hysteria. On the basis of the FAM results, the diabetic patients were divided into a "well" adjusted and a "poorly" adjusted group, and comparisons were made on a variety of neuropsychological measures, including the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Wechsler Memory Scale, and Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. Results demonstrated negligible effect of poor adjustment on neuropsychological performance.

Relationships between neuropsychological and psychopathological dimensions in male alcoholics

A study was conducted of the relationships between psychopathology and neuropsychological deficit in chronic alcoholic patients who had received the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). Classification of the MMPIs by code type resulted in the formation of groups of 10 subjects with normal MMPIs, 19 subjects with MMPI profiles suggestive of depression, and 10 subjects with profiles suggestive of psychosis. Analysis of covariance was performed for various Halstead-Reitan scores: the only significant findings emerged for several of the verbal subtests of the WAIS. The group with psychotic MMPIs did substantially more poorly on these measures than the other groups. It was concluded that depressed alcoholics do not show greater neuropsychological deficit than do individuals with no significant psychopathology other than alcoholism. However, alcoholics with MMPI profiles that suggest psychosis differ from the other groups studied with regard to certain verbal abilities.

Relative accuracy of three automated systems for neuropsychological interpretation.

Three computer programs for automated interpretation of variants of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery were tested on cases in two data sets. The Key approach of Russell, Neuringer, and Goldstein (1970), Brain I (Finkelstein, 1977), and Adams' (1975) ability-based algorithm were employed in the study. The first data set included 63 well-documented cases with precise criterion data and multiple sources of direct verification. The second data set consisted of 30 equally well-studied cerebrovascular disease patients whose cerebral circulation disorders resulted in clinical manifestations encompassing the entire range of stroke. Results suggested that, while none of the programs do poorly at identifying the presence of brain damage, lateralization and possibly other localization/process predictions are not done well by these programs. The failure described in this particular study does not imply that automated methods are potentially less effective than true actuarial or clinical ones. Rather, we suggest that the translation process from clinical interpretation to the mechanical combinatory logic of the digital computer is at an early stage.

A portable Halstead-Reitan Category Test.

Provided plans and details for the construction of a portable and inexpensive version of the Halstead-Reitan Category Test so that its general utility for research and clinical applications may be increased. A prototype that can be used in conjunction with any slide projector is described and pictured. This version retains most essential characteristics (using slides, responsive apparatus) of the Category Test of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery, but has the advantages of both portability and low cost.

An impairment index of brain functions in children.

An impairment index of brain functions in children, based on the 1979 Rules System by Selz and Reitan, was developed to summarize the performance on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery for older children comparing groups of 25 normal, learning-disabled, and brain-damaged children aged 9 through 14 yr. Analysis of variance indicated a significant difference between all pairs of groups. A cut-off Impairment Index between .17 and .18 correctly differentiated 78% of the brain-damaged and control subjects. The findings suggested that the Impairment Index for Children may be a valid and objective indicator of brain functions in older children, although cross-validation is necessary.

Neuropsychological findings in diabetes mellitus.

Compared two groups of Type I diabetic Ss, visually impaired and nonvisually impaired (N = 39), to a non-neurologic chronically ill group and a healthy group (N = 44) on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. The diabetic groups performed like each other and worse than the other two groups on somatosensory examination, motor strength and motor speed tasks. Impairment was more consistent and pronounced among male diabetics than among female diabetics. The non-visually-impaired diabetic group performed worse than the other two groups on Trail Making Tests and Performance IQ. Diabetics performed like the chronic illness group and worse than the healthy group on Category Test. In diabetics, impaired neuropsychological performance tended to be associated with severity of disease and number of severe hypoglycemic episodes. Diabetics demonstrate neuropsychological impairment on tasks that require visual and motor efficiency, and somatosensory discrimination. Cognitive skills and memory remain intact among most diabetics despite greater risks among diabetics for electrolyte imbalance, neurotransmitter deficiencies, and coma.

Neuropsychological assessment of learning disabilities: A discriminant analysis

The neuropsychological test scores of 23 learning disabled children were compared with those of a matched population of normal children in the 9-1 to 13-1 age range. All children were administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), a dichotic listening task involving both free and directed recall conditions, a handedness inventory, the Tactile Performance Test and the Category Test from the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. A multivariate analysis of variance resulted in a significant separation between groups ( p < .001) using these procedures. A stepwise discriminant function analysis revealed that both of the directed dichotic tasks contributed the most of all 13 measures to the significant group separation. In addition, other cognitive tasks found to discriminate normal from learning disabled children include general verbal processes, concept formation, and tactile memory. These findings suggest that the directed dichotic listening procedure and the WISC-R Verbal IQ measure are reasonably valuable clinical tools in the classification of learning disabilities.

IQ level and performance on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery for Older Children.

IQ level and performance on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery for Older Children.

IQ level and performance on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery for Older Children.

IQ level and performance on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery for Older Children.

Effect of lateralized cerebral damage upon contralateral and ipsilateral sensorimotor performances.

Three groups of 50 adult patients with either lateralized vascular, neoplastic, or traumatic cerebral lesions were compared with respect to their contralateral and ipsilateral sensorimotor functioning. The present study investigated the extent of sensorimotor deficits associated with different types of naturally-occurring damage to the right and left hemispheres. Sensorimotor abilities were assessed using tests from the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. Intergroup comparisons showed a differential pattern of sensorimotor impairment in which the cerebrovascular group was most impaired, followed by the neoplastic group, with the trauma group demonstrating the least impairment. Interhemispheric comparisons among the lesion groups consistently demonstrated right cerebral hemisphere predominance for contralateral and ipsilateral sensorimotor functions. The findings indicate clearly that the sensorimotor functions of the two cerebral hemispheres are not merely mirror images of each other. Apparently, the functional organization of the human brain is such that the right hemisphere is predominant for both contralateral and ipsilateral sensorimotor functioning. Results are discussed in terms of these theoretical questions and in terms of several methodological considerations necessary for the appropriate study of the functional organization of sensorimotor processes.

Order effects on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery and allied procedures.

Order effects on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery and allied procedures.

Neuropsychological Effect of Chronic Alcoholism on Tactual‐Spatial Performance and Memory in Males

To examine the hypothesis that the functioning of the right hemisphere is disrupted as a result of prolonged alcohol abuse, male middle-aged alcoholic patients and nonalcoholic controls were tested on the standard Tactual Performance Test (TPT) from the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery or on a modified form of the TPT employing stimuli of low verbal codability. On the standard TPT, alcoholic patients were impaired relative to controls on timed performance and memory for TPT figures but not for location. Analysis of the pattern of timed performance indicated the presence of an alcohol-related deficit for the left hand; however, right-hand scores were not impaired in alcoholic patients. For the modified TPT, alcoholic patients were impaired relative to controls for level but not pattern of timed performance; memory for TPT figures was impaired in alcoholic patients although location scores were not. The standard and modified TPT were found to discriminate alcoholic and control subjects with equal accuracy. The results support the hypothesis that chronic alcoholism leads to a disruption in the normal function of the right cerebral hemisphere.