Localization of Clinical Syndromes in Neuropsychology and Neuroscience

by Antonio E. Puente, Joseph M. Tonkonogy

Overview

Localization refers to the relationship between the anatomical structures of the brain and their corresponding psychological or behavioral functions. Throughout the history of neuropsychology, there has been considerable debate over how localized mental functions truly are. By the mid-20th century, a formidable amount of evidence strongly supported the "modularity hypothesis" that psychological functions such as language and memory reside in specific neuroanatomical areas. Recent neuroimaging studies suggest a more holistic view - that psychological functions are distributed and dynamically organized across multiple brain regions.

This book attempts to reconcile the classic and modern approaches, arguing that newer imaging techniques must be used in conjunction with, rather than replace, traditional neuropsychology approaches such as interviewing, testing, and autopsy exams. Only by triangulating these approaches can neuropsychologists begin to understand the complex relationship between brain structure and mental function that is exhibited across the spectrum of neurological disorders. The perspective offered by Drs. Tonkonogy and Puente on this philosophical and scientific debate is a provocative counterargument to current research that overemphasizes imaging studies to the exclusion of other useful techniques.

Key features:

• Offers systematic descriptions of the clinical manifestations, anatomical data, and history of the various approaches to neuropsychological syndromes
• Differentiates syndromes characterized by disturbances of conventional versus unconventional information processing
• Examines both traditional and modern approaches to new neuropsychological syndromes of social agnosia, social apraxia, and agnosia of actions, as well as memory disorders, visual disorders, and more

An indispensable resource for clinicians and researchers in neuropsychology and neuroscience, this book serves as a solid frame of reference for the localization of clinical neuropsychological symptoms.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826119681
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	01/23/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	864
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Antonio E. Puente, PhD is Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington

Joseph M. Tonkonogy, MD, PhD, FRSM is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Preface
Chapter One: Disturbances of Brain Information Processing and Localization Studies
Chapter Two: Disorders of Recognition in the Physical World: Visual Agnosia
Chapter Three: Disorders of Recognition in the Physical World: Other Types of Agnosia
Chapter Four: Disorders of Recognition in the Physical World: Illusions and Hallucinations
Chapter Five: Disturbances of Recognition in the Social World
Chapter Six: Disturbances of Actions
Chapter Seven: Communication Disorders
Chapter Eight: Memory Disorders
Chapter Nine: Disturbances of Regulatory Activity: Impairments of Visually Guided Attention
Chapter Ten: Disturbances of Regulatory Activity: Impairments of Volition
Chapter Eleven: Disturbances of Regulatory Activity: Impairments of Emotion
Chapter Twelve: Generalized Cognitive Disturbances
Chapter Thirteen: Neuropsychological Testing of Clinical Syndromes