Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

Table of Contents - 2004 - Volume 10, Issue 07  


Functional MRI neuroanatomic correlates of the Hooper Visual Organization Test

CHAD H.  MORITZ  a1 a3 c1 , STERLING C.  JOHNSON  a2 , KATHRYN M.  MCMILLAN  a3 , VICTOR M.  HAUGHTON  a1 and M. ELIZABETH  MEYERAND  a3
a1 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison
a2 Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison
a3 Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison

Article author query
moritz ch   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
johnson sc   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
mcmillan km   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
haughton vm   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
meyerand me   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

The Hooper Visual Organization Test (VOT), a commonly applied neuropsychological test of visual spatial ability, is used for assessing patients with suspected right hemisphere, or parietal lobe involvement. A controversy has developed over whether the inferences of this test metric can be assumed to involve global, lateralized, or regional functionality. In this study, the characteristic visual organization and object naming aspects of the VOT task presentation were adapted to a functional MR imaging (fMRI) paradigm to probe the neuroanatomic correlates of this neuropsychological test. Whole brain fMRI mapping results are reported on a cohort of normal subjects. Bilateral fMRI responses were found predominantly in the posterior brain, in regions of superior parietal lobules, ventral temporal-occipital cortex, and posterior visual association areas, and to a lesser extent, the frontal eye fields bilaterally, and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The results indicate a general brain region or network in which VOT impairment, due to its visuospatial and object identification demands, is possible to be detected. Discussion is made of interpretive limitations when adapting neuropsychological tests to fMRI analysis. (JINS, 2004, 10, 939–947.)

(Received September 11 2003)
(Revised May 14 2004)
(Accepted June 14 2004)


Key Words: Functional neuroimaging; fMRI; Hooper Visual Organization Test.

Correspondence:
c1 Reprint requests to: Chad Moritz, E1/311 Clinical Science Center, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792-3252. E-mail: cmoritz@mail.radiology.wisc.edu

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