Abstract
Cognitive neuroscience researchers have hypothesized that context-dependent and context-independent
response selection is associated with the left and right frontal lobe, respectively,
in right-handed adult males. Patients with left frontal lobe lesions show context-independent
reasoning in a cognitive bias task (CBT), while those with right frontal lesions show
context-dependent reasoning. Young children show more context-independent responses
in a modified CBT (mCBT), while adolescents and adults show more context-dependent
responses. We investigated the cognitive bias of right-handed children with unilateral
frontal lobe lesions/epileptic foci to explore the plasticity of lateralization in
the frontal lobes. The study included eight children with left frontal lobe lesions/epileptic
foci (LLF) and four children with right frontal lobe lesions/epileptic foci (RLF).
Twenty-three right-handed age-matched males served as controls. A computer presented
version of the original card-choice task that was simplified and modified for children
was used (mCBT). Simple visual stimuli differed dichotomously in shape, color, number,
and shading. A target object presented alone was followed by two choices from which
subjects made selection based on preference. Considering all four characteristics,
the degree of similarity between the target and the subjects’ choice was scored for
30 trials. A high score indicated a context-dependent response selection bias and
a low score indicated a context-independent bias. The RLF subjects had a higher converted
score (mean: 26.8±2.2), while LLF subjects showed a lower converted score (mean: 7.75±6.3).
There were highly significant differences between LLF subjects and the other groups
(P<0.001 vs. controls or RLF subjects). No significant correlations were observed between
the converted scores and the age at onset, time since insult, or IQ in either LLF
or RLF subjects. These findings suggest that the lateralization of frontal lobe function
elicited by mCBT is fundamental and independent of language lateralization, rather
than secondary to it. Furthermore, these findings also indicate that the timetable
for the development of lateralized frontal lobe functions depends upon biologic factors.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
November 16,
2004
Received in revised form:
October 1,
2004
Received:
June 28,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
