Neuropsychological assessment using luria nebraska neuropsychological battery – its introduction in portugal results from an introductory first empirical portuguese study – 3 short case studies

Luis Maia, Manuel Loureiro, Carlos Silva , Assunção Pato, Marli Loureiro e Mª Victoria Bartolomé

Alexander Luria (1902-1977) was probably the greatest contributor to the development of contemporary Clinical Neuropsychology, which is based in the precise knowledge of functional neuroanatomy, as well as cerebral affection/dysfunction/lesions semiology. The possibility of using an accurate assessment model to assess cerebral malfunction related with a set of potentially localized cerebral areas has been developed in the last decades. One of the most utilized neuropsychological battery is the Luria Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery (LNNB) presented by Golden, Hammeke and Purisch in 1978. It is a comprehensive battery developed to assess neuropsychological functioning with a method that integrate qualitative information generated originally by Luria techniques with the quantitative methods of psychometric American School, resulting in a hybrid approach in which relevant elements of both traditions were considered. Results of three subjects are presented in order to elucidate different aspects of neuropsychological evaluation, in different clinical or normative population: one “Normal” subject, one patient referred by a general practitioner doctor and other patient referred by a neurologist doctor. The preliminary results suggest that the Portuguese adaptation of LNNB has a strong accuracy in differentiating normative and clinical population, and also that it can be used as a strong neurological screening test when utilized by a trained psychometrician. Finally is also suggested that, to elaborate a deep and integrative neuropsychological evaluation the neuropsychologist must have a strong background in neuropsychology, being aware of the patient’s premorbid characteristics and not only the current behaviour repertoire, in order to evaluate the global affection after a given traumatic, incisive, pathogenic, or other relevant process.

7_-1_15.pdf