Diferenças sexuais da atenção visual na epilepsia parcial criptogênica

Kanda, Paulo Afonso Medeiros; Campos, Carlos José Reis de

doi:10.1590/S0004-282X1994000200002

Resumos

Estudamos o rendimento em testes de atenção visual verbal e não-verbal de 14 homens e 18 mulheres controles normais e 33 pacientes com epilepsia parcial criptogênica. O grupo epiléptico foi constituído de 17 homens e 16 mulheres sem evidência de lesões à tomografia computadorizada de crânio. As descargas epilépticas interictais localizavam-se unilateralmente, no lobo temporal direito (8 homens, 8 mulheres) ou no esquerdo (9 homens, 8 mulheres). O desempenho dos homens epilépticos foi semelhante ao dos homens controles. Por outro lado, o rendimento das mulheres epilépticas foi pior que o das mulheres controles. Estes resultados parecem de acordo com a literatura que sugere que a atenção visual nas mulheres dependa da integridade funcional dos dois hemisférios cerebrais. Os homens processariam basicamente os estímulos visuais verbais no hemisfério cerebral esquerdo e os não-verbais no hemisfério cerebral direito. São necessários estudos posteriores para o melhor entendimento dessas diferenças sexuais da assimetria funcional hemisférica.

diferenças sexuais; atenção visual; epilepsia parcial

The performance in visual verbal and non-verbal attentional tests was studied in 14 male and 18 female control subjects and 33 patients with cryptogenic partial epilepsy. The epileptic group was formed of 17 men and 16 women with no evidence of brain damage in CT scan examinations. Interictal epileptiform activity was observed only unilaterally, either in the right (8 male, 8 female) or left (9 male, 8 female) temporal lobes. The performance of epileptic men in visual tests was similar to that of normal men. On the other hand, the performance of epileptic women was worse than that of normal women. These results seem in accordance with the literature that suggests mat visual attention in women depends on the functional integrity of both cerebral hemispheres. In men, verbal visual attention is suggested to occur in the left cerebral hemisphere while non-verbal processes, predominantly in the right cerebral hemisphere. Further studies are necessary for the understanding of these sexual differences in cerebral hemispheric asymmetry.

sexual differences; visual attention; partial epilepsy

Diferenças sexuais da atenção visual na epilepsia parcial criptogênica

Sexual differences of visual attention in cryptogenic partial epilepsy

Paulo Afonso Medeiros Kanda^I; Carlos José Reis de Campos^II

^ISetor de Investigação e Tratamento das Epilepsias (SITE), Disciplina de Neurologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina: Mestrando em Neurologia

^IISetor de Investigação e Tratamento das Epilepsias (SITE), Disciplina de Neurologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina: Professor Adjunto Doutor, Chefe do SITE

RESUMO

Estudamos o rendimento em testes de atenção visual verbal e não-verbal de 14 homens e 18 mulheres controles normais e 33 pacientes com epilepsia parcial criptogênica. O grupo epiléptico foi constituído de 17 homens e 16 mulheres sem evidência de lesões à tomografia computadorizada de crânio. As descargas epilépticas interictais localizavam-se unilateralmente, no lobo temporal direito (8 homens, 8 mulheres) ou no esquerdo (9 homens, 8 mulheres). O desempenho dos homens epilépticos foi semelhante ao dos homens controles. Por outro lado, o rendimento das mulheres epilépticas foi pior que o das mulheres controles. Estes resultados parecem de acordo com a literatura que sugere que a atenção visual nas mulheres dependa da integridade funcional dos dois hemisférios cerebrais. Os homens processariam basicamente os estímulos visuais verbais no hemisfério cerebral esquerdo e os não-verbais no hemisfério cerebral direito. São necessários estudos posteriores para o melhor entendimento dessas diferenças sexuais da assimetria funcional hemisférica.

Palavras chave: diferenças sexuais, atenção visual, epilepsia parcial.

SUMMARY

The performance in visual verbal and non-verbal attentional tests was studied in 14 male and 18 female control subjects and 33 patients with cryptogenic partial epilepsy. The epileptic group was formed of 17 men and 16 women with no evidence of brain damage in CT scan examinations. Interictal epileptiform activity was observed only unilaterally, either in the right (8 male, 8 female) or left (9 male, 8 female) temporal lobes. The performance of epileptic men in visual tests was similar to that of normal men. On the other hand, the performance of epileptic women was worse than that of normal women. These results seem in accordance with the literature that suggests mat visual attention in women depends on the functional integrity of both cerebral hemispheres. In men, verbal visual attention is suggested to occur in the left cerebral hemisphere while non-verbal processes, predominantly in the right cerebral hemisphere. Further studies are necessary for the understanding of these sexual differences in cerebral hemispheric asymmetry.

Key words: sexual differences, visual attention, partial epilepsy.

Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.

Full text available only in PDF format.

Aceite: 28-julho-l993.

Dr. Carlos José Reis de Campos - Disciplina de Neurologia (SITE), Escola Paulista de Medicina - Rua Botucatu 740 - 04023-900 São Paulo SP - Brasil.

1. Aarts HP, Binnie CD, Smith AM, Wilkings AJ. Selective cognitive impairment during focal and generalized epileptiform EEG activity. Brain 1984, 107: 293-308.
2. Bowers D, Heilman KM. Pseudoneglect: effects of hemispace on a tactile line bisection task. Neuropsychol 1980, 18:491-498.
3. Bradshaw JL, Nettleton NC, Nathan G, Wilson LE. Bisecting rods and lines: effects of horizontal and vertical posture on left-side underestimation by normal subjects. Neuropsychol 1985, 23: 421-425.
4. Browne TR, Feldman RG: Epilepsy: diagnosis and management. Boston: Little Brown, 1983.
5. Camfield PR, Gates R, Ronen G, Camfield C, Fergunson A, MacDonald GW. Comparison of cognitive ability, personality, profile, and school success in epileptic children with pure rigth versus left temporal lobe EEG. Ann Neurol 1984, 15:122-126.
6. Chedru F, Geschwind N. Disorders of higher cortical functions in acute confusional states. Cortex 1972, 8:395-411.
7. Giordani B, Berent S, Sackellares JC, Rourke D, Seidenberg S, O'Leary DS, Dreifuss FE, Boll TJ. Intelligence test performance of patients with partial and generalized seizures. Epilepsia 1985, 26: 37-42.
8. Kimura D. Funcional asymmetry of the brain in dichotic listening. Cortex 1967, 3: 395-396.
9. Ladavas E, Umilta C, Provinciali L. Hemisphere-dependent cognitive performances in epileptic patients. Epilepsia 1979, 20: 493-502.
10. Luria AR. Higher cortical function in man. New York: Basic Books, 1966.
11. Luria, AR. El cerebro en accion. Barcelona Fontanella, 1979.
12. Mark VW, Heilman KM. Bodily neglect and orientational biases in unilateral neglect syndrome and normal subjects. Neurology 1990, 40: 640-643.
13. Mazzucchi A, Parma M. Responses to dichotic listening in temporal epileptic with and without lesions. Cortex 1978, 14: 381-390.
14. Mazzucchi A, Visintini D, Magnani G, Cattelani R, Parma M. Hemispheric prevalence changes in partial epileptic patients on perceptual and attentional tasks. Epilepsia 1985, 26:379-390.
15. McGee MG. Human spatial, psychometric studies and envirommental, genetic, hormonal and neurological influences. PSYCHOL BULL 1979, 86: 889-918.
16. McGlone J. Sex differences in human brain asymmetry. Behav Brain Sci 1980 3: 215-263.
17. McIntyre M, Pritchard PB, Lombroso CT. Left and right temporal lobe epileptic: a controlled investigation of some psychological differences. Epilepsia 1976, 17: 377-386.
18. Mesulam MM. Principles of behavioral neurology. Philadelphia: Davis, 1988.
19. Milstein V, Small IF, Malloy FW, Small JG. Influence of sex and handedness of hemispheric funcioning. Cortex 1979, 15:439-449.
20. Muszkat M, Frayman L, Vincenzo NS, Campos CJR. Diferenças Sexuais na assimetria funcional hemisférica. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 1991, 49: 142-146.
21. Niedermeyer E. The epilepsies: diagnosis and management. Baltimore: Urban & Schwarzenberg, 1990.
22. Segalowitz SJ. Two sides of the brain: brain lateralization explored. New Jersey: Spectrum, 1983.
23. Silverman J. Problems of attention in research and theory in schizophrenia. Psychol Rev 1964, 71:352-379.
24. Springer SP, Deutsch G. Left brain-right brain. New York: Freeman, 1984.

Datas de Publicação

Publicação nesta coleção
19 Jan 2011
Data do Fascículo
Jun 1994

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] 1. Aarts HP, Binnie CD, Smith AM, Wilkings AJ. Selective cognitive impairment during focal and generalized epileptiform EEG activity. Brain 1984, 107: 293-308.

[2] 2. Bowers D, Heilman KM. Pseudoneglect: effects of hemispace on a tactile line bisection task. Neuropsychol 1980, 18:491-498.

[3] 3. Bradshaw JL, Nettleton NC, Nathan G, Wilson LE. Bisecting rods and lines: effects of horizontal and vertical posture on left-side underestimation by normal subjects. Neuropsychol 1985, 23: 421-425.

[4] 4. Browne TR, Feldman RG: Epilepsy: diagnosis and management. Boston: Little Brown, 1983.

[5] 5. Camfield PR, Gates R, Ronen G, Camfield C, Fergunson A, MacDonald GW. Comparison of cognitive ability, personality, profile, and school success in epileptic children with pure rigth versus left temporal lobe EEG. Ann Neurol 1984, 15:122-126.

[6] 6. Chedru F, Geschwind N. Disorders of higher cortical functions in acute confusional states. Cortex 1972, 8:395-411.

[7] 7. Giordani B, Berent S, Sackellares JC, Rourke D, Seidenberg S, O'Leary DS, Dreifuss FE, Boll TJ. Intelligence test performance of patients with partial and generalized seizures. Epilepsia 1985, 26: 37-42.

[8] 8. Kimura D. Funcional asymmetry of the brain in dichotic listening. Cortex 1967, 3: 395-396.

[9] 9. Ladavas E, Umilta C, Provinciali L. Hemisphere-dependent cognitive performances in epileptic patients. Epilepsia 1979, 20: 493-502.

[10] 10. Luria AR. Higher cortical function in man. New York: Basic Books, 1966.

[11] 11. Luria, AR. El cerebro en accion. Barcelona Fontanella, 1979.

[12] 12. Mark VW, Heilman KM. Bodily neglect and orientational biases in unilateral neglect syndrome and normal subjects. Neurology 1990, 40: 640-643.

[13] 13. Mazzucchi A, Parma M. Responses to dichotic listening in temporal epileptic with and without lesions. Cortex 1978, 14: 381-390.

[14] 14. Mazzucchi A, Visintini D, Magnani G, Cattelani R, Parma M. Hemispheric prevalence changes in partial epileptic patients on perceptual and attentional tasks. Epilepsia 1985, 26:379-390.

[15] 15. McGee MG. Human spatial, psychometric studies and envirommental, genetic, hormonal and neurological influences. PSYCHOL BULL 1979, 86: 889-918.

[16] 16. McGlone J. Sex differences in human brain asymmetry. Behav Brain Sci 1980 3: 215-263.

[17] 17. McIntyre M, Pritchard PB, Lombroso CT. Left and right temporal lobe epileptic: a controlled investigation of some psychological differences. Epilepsia 1976, 17: 377-386.

[18] 18. Mesulam MM. Principles of behavioral neurology. Philadelphia: Davis, 1988.

[19] 19. Milstein V, Small IF, Malloy FW, Small JG. Influence of sex and handedness of hemispheric funcioning. Cortex 1979, 15:439-449.

[20] 20. Muszkat M, Frayman L, Vincenzo NS, Campos CJR. Diferenças Sexuais na assimetria funcional hemisférica. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 1991, 49: 142-146.

[21] 21. Niedermeyer E. The epilepsies: diagnosis and management. Baltimore: Urban & Schwarzenberg, 1990.

[22] 22. Segalowitz SJ. Two sides of the brain: brain lateralization explored. New Jersey: Spectrum, 1983.

[23] 23. Silverman J. Problems of attention in research and theory in schizophrenia. Psychol Rev 1964, 71:352-379.

[24] 24. Springer SP, Deutsch G. Left brain-right brain. New York: Freeman, 1984.