Ventricular Enlargement, Cortical Atrophy and Neuropsychological Performance Following Head Injury
1984, Vol. 24, No. 3-4
,
Pages 295-298
Erin D. Bigler1†, Sydney Paver2, C. Munro Cullum2, Eric Turkheimer2, Donn Hubler3 and Ron Yeo4
1Austin Neurological Clinic and the University of Texas at Austin
2University of Texas at Austin
3University of New Mexico
4Boston VA Hospital
Volumetric measures of the ventricular system and the degree of cortical atrophy were obtained from CT scan data in 48 severe post-head-injury patients. Neuropsychological tests consisting of the WAIS, WMS and the HRNTB were obtained. Correlational analyses revealed significant negative relationships between ventricular size and intellectual and memory functioning, but no consistent relationship with measures of motor, sensory or language functioning. Similar, but generally less significant, findings were obtained with the atrophy index measure. Results are discussed in relation to differential effects of trauma on cerebral morphology and neuropsychological outcome.
