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 attempts to investigate the general diagnostic effectiveness of the battery, comparing 50 brain-injured and 50 hospitalized control patients. The battery was found to be 93 % diagnostically effective, more successful than any other battery or test reported in the literature. The potential uses and advantages of the battery are described

Diagnostic Validity of a Standardized Neuropsychological Battery Derived from Luria\u27s Neuropsychological Tests.

A. R. Luria has devised an extensive set of procedures used for neuropsychological evaluation. His tests permit the full identification of the specific deficits underlying a disorder and can be completed in about 2 hrs. The most significant flaw in the battery is a lack of standard administration and scoring that has precluded an assessment of its validity. The present study attempted to overcome these deficiencies by developing an objective form, combining Luria\u27s procedures with the advantages of a standard test battery. The resultant test, the Luria-South Dakota Neuro-psychological Test Battery, was evaluated using 50 medical patient controls, average age 42.0 yrs, and 50 neurological patients, average age 44.3 yrs. Of the 285 measures in the battery, 253 significantly discriminated at the .05 level, and only 16 failed to discriminate at the .2 level. A discriminant analysis, using the 30 most effective items, yielded a hit rate of 100%. The battery\u27s potential and the future research necessary are discussed. (13 ref

The Use of a Standardized Battery of Luria\u27s Test in the Diagnosis of Lateralized Cerebral Dysfunction

The present study was designed to examine the capability of a standardized battery of Luria\u27s 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 Luria\u27s qualitative neuropsychological test items. The items were divided into 11 sections based upon Luria\u27s 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 Luria\u27s 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

Relationship of Age and Education to Performance on a Standardized Version of Luria\u27s 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 Luria\u27s 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 Luria\u27s neuropsychological examination. One of the main advantages of this battery over Luria\u27s 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 Luria\u27s 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 Luria\u27s theory. The interpretation of each factor found is discussed, as well as its implication

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 Luria\u27s neuropsychological examination. One of the main advantages of this battery over Luria\u27s 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 Luria\u27s 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 Luria\u27s 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: IV: Intelligence and Pathognomonic Scales.

This paper examined the factor structure of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery Scales Intelligence and Pathognomonic. The subjects for the study were 270 patients, including 90 normal patients, 90 psychiatric patients, and 90 neurological patients. A principal factor analysis with communalities on the diagonal and iterated to the most ideal solution was used, followed by rotation to the simplest factor structure. The analysis yielded 4 subfactors for each of the two Luria scales. On the Intelligence scale, factors were general verbal intelligence, arithmetic, a frontal verbal factor, and a right frontal sequencing factor. Analysis of the Pathognomonic scale yielded a simple perceptual/expressive factor, a construction speed factor, a basic visual/spatial factor, and a higher cognitive factor. These results were generally in accord with Luria\u27s theories

Localization of cerebral dysfunction with a standardized version of Luria\u27s Neuropsychological Battery.

Determined if the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery, a standardized, comprehensive version by C. J. Golden et al (1979) of A. R. Luria\u27s neuropsychological battery, can discriminate among patients with localized brain injuries. 24 right hemisphere and 36 left hemisphere patients were divided into 8 groups depending on hemisphere and location within the hemisphere (frontal, temporal, sensorimotor, or parietal–occipital). The average age of the sample was 42.5 yrs, with no significant differences in age or education among the groups. It was found that 14 summary scores derived from the Luria battery could identify clinical patterns characteristic of each group as well as suggest implications for modern theories of brain function. (44 ref