Arnold D. Purisch

A Standardized, Short, and Comprehensive Neuropsychological Test Battery Based on the Luria Neuropsychological Evaluation

Neuropsychology has played an ever increasing role in neurological and psychiatric evaluations. However, the tests and test batteries available today suffer from a number of problems including an inordinate amount of time to administer, a lack of comprehensiveness, and a failure to yield information directly relevant to diagnosis and treatment. The current article presents a test battery which attempts to integrate two major approaches to neuropsychological testing: the qualitative and the quantitative methods. Each method has significant advantages and disadvantages, while an amalgamation of the two potentially offers a powerful alternative approach to neurodiagnostics. The battery presented in this paper is a standardized version of the comprehensive qualitative battery first described by Luria and recently published by Christensen. The resultant battery is comprehensive, yet can be given in 21/2 hours; it is standardized and quantitative, but yields a qualitative assessment as well. The present study a...

The Use of a Standardized Battery of Luria's Tests in the Diagnosis of Lateralized Cerebral Dysfunction

The present study was designed to examine the capability of a standardized battery of Lurias qualitative neuropsychological techniques in discriminating between right, left and diffuse brain-injured subjects. A total of sixty medically confirmed brain-damaged subjects were equally divided among the three groups. Subjects were assigned to two groups (right, left) according to medically proven lateralized brain injury to either the right or left hemisphere in the absence of verifiable insult to the opposite hemisphere. A third group was also selected in which medical evidence confirmed damage to both hemispheres (diffuse group). All three groups were matched for age and education. All subjects were tested on a standardized version of 269 Lurias qualitative neuropsychological test items. The items were divided into 11 sections based upon Lurias theory of brain function. Each of the 11 sections plus a right and a left hemisphere scale as well as an overall impairment scale yielded 14 summary measures of performance representing several areas of neuropsychological ability and overall severity of brain dysfunction. Analysis of variance and discriminant analysis were used to compare the three groups on these 14 summary measures. Analysis of variance revealed on significant difference between the three groups on the Left scale with the left group performing poorest. Discriminant analysis predicted the status of 59 of 60 subjects correctly (98% hit rate). The implication of the lack of significant simple relationships (ANOVA) and the complex interrelationships found using the discriminant analysis were discussed in terms of the support these results provide for Lurias theory of brain function. The specific qualitative aspects of the test battery and their use in the diagnosis of lateralized brain injury were also discussed. Indications for future research were pointed out.

Factor Analysis of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery: I. Motor, Rhythm, and Tactile Scales

In recent years, Golden and his associates have devised and presented a standardized version of Lurias neuropsychological examination. One of the main advantages of this battery over Lurias more qualitative approach is the possibility of examining a number of the theoretical statements made by Lauria concerning the relationship of basic psychological skills which make up the tests in each of ten major areas of neuropsychological function. The present paper is an initial attempt to examine some of the interrelationships among items on the standardized battery and to compare these to Lurias theoretical structures. To do this the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery was administered to a mixed neurological, psychiatric and normal population of 272 individuals. From the results of study of these patients, principle axis factor analyses with communalities on the diagonal) were done on three scales (Motor, Rhythm, Tactile) and obliquely rotated to the simplest solution. The resulting factors were found, in general, to conform to the factors predicted by Lurias theory. The interpretation of each factor found is discussed, as well as its implication. Future papers are planned to deal with the factor structure of further scales on the standardized battery.

Factor analysis of the Luria-Nebraska neuropsychological battery. II: Visual, receptive, expressive and reading scales.

In recent years, Golden and his associates have devised and presented a standardized version of Lurias neuropsychological examination. One of the main advantages of this battery over Lurias more qualitative approach is the possibility of examining a number of the theoretical statements made by Luria concerning the relationship of basic psychological skills which make up the tests in each of ten major areas of neuropsychological function. The present paper is the second in a series attempting to examine some of the interrelationships among items on the standardized battery and compare these to Lurias theoretical structures. To do this, the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery was administered to a mixed neurological, psychiatric and normal population of 272 individuals. From the results of these tests, principle axis factor analyses (with communalities on the diagonal) were done on four scales (Visual, Expressive, Receptive, Reading) and obliquely rotated to the simplest solution. The resulting factors were found generally to conform to the factors predicted by Lurias theory. The interpretation of each factor found is discussed, as well as its implication.

Relationship of Age and Education to Performance on A Standardized Version of Luria's Neuropsychological Tests in Different Patient Populations

A.R. Luria, a Russian neuropsychologist, developed many qualitative bedside tests that have been effective in the diagnosis and localization of neurological disorders. Recently, a standardized and objectively-scored version of Lurias tests has been developed. Knowledge of the effects of patient age and education on neuro-psychological test performance has been found crucial in the neurodiagnostic decision-making process. The present study examined the effects of patient age(younger subjects between 20 and 40 years and older subjects between 50 and 70 years of age), education (grade school, high school, and post-high school), and diagnosis (normal, schizophrenic, brain damaged) on 14 standardized Luria measures. A weighted means analysis of variance found 11 significant age effects, 14 significant educational effects, and 14 significant effects diagnosis. One significant interaction was found between education and diagnosis, the results support the contention that with appropriate age and educational corrections, the standardized Luria battery would satisfy the need for a short, objectively scored, and diagnostically effective neuropsychological battery.

Factor Analysis of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery III: Writing, Arithmetic, Memory, Left, and Right

In recent years, Golden and his associates have devised and presented a standardized version of Lurias neuropsychological examination. One of the main advantages of this battery over Lurias more qualitative approach is the possibility of examining a number of the theoretical statements made by Luria concerning the relationship of basic psychological skills which make up the tests in each of ten major areas of neuropsychological function. The present paper is the third in a series which examined some of the interrelationships among items on the standardized battery and then compared them to Lurias theoretical structures. To do this, the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery was administered to a mixed neurological, psychiatric and normal population of 270 individuals. From the results of these tests, principle axis factor analyses (with communalities on the diagonal) were done on five scales (Writing, Memory, Arithmetic, Left, and Right) and obliquely rotated to the simplest solution. The resulting factors were found, in general, to conform to the factors predicted by Lurias theory. The interpretation of each factor found is discussed, as well as its implication.