PET scan findings in a patient with a remote history of exposure to organic solvents.

This is a single-case study employing positron emission tomography (PET) scanning and neuropsychological assessment on a 47-year-old male with a 15-year history of repeated respiratory and dermal exposure to high levels of organic solvents with at least 750 peak exposures (i.e., solvent "intoxication").

Is impaired executive function a single or multidimensional disability?

This study was undertaken to determine if certain logical relations might be found in two pairs of similar executive functioning tasks: (a) Design Fluency and Word Fluency, and (b) the Tinker Toy and Story Telling Tests. Overall, the results were "inconsistent," with there being no meaningful relations found between tests with regard to similarities in task demand, theoretical hierarchical relations, or whether the tasks were verbal or nonverbal (with the exception of a very close relation between Design Fluency and Tinker Toy Test.).

Long-term neuropsychological sequelae of severe burns.

Eight patients who suffered severe burns and protracted periods of amnesia following those burns were evaluated for neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric problems between 6 months and 4 years following their accidents. All were found to have significant problems as evidenced in neuropsychological testing, activities of daily living, and reports from relatives. Findings on these burn patients with postburn amnesia were quite different from those of five burn patients who did not develop amnesia.

Quantitative PET scan findings in carbon monoxide poisoning: deficits seen in a matched pair.

Quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) was utilized to establish the degree and localization of central nervous system dysfunction in 2 adult patients 3 years status postchronic carbon monoxide poisoning. The individual PET scans were compared against a composite scan made up of 32 normals using a z transformation statistical parametric map. Neuropsychological findings indicated marked anterior frontal lobe syndrome in the context of far-above-average intelligence, memory, and language.