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Role of frontal cortex in inferential reasoning: Evidence from the Word Context Test

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2005

KATRINA KEIL ,
JULIANA BALDO ,
EDITH KAPLAN ,
JOEL KRAMER  and
DEAN C. DELIS
KATRINA KEIL
Affiliation:
Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation, Pomona, California
JULIANA BALDO
Affiliation:
VA Northern California Health Care System, Sacramento, California
EDITH KAPLAN
Affiliation:
Boston University School of Medicine and Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts
JOEL KRAMER
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco, California
DEAN C. DELIS
Affiliation:
VA Medical Center, San Diego and the University of California, San Diego, Medical School, California
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Abstract

Problem: Inferential reasoning in language involves the ability to deduce information based on context and prior experience. This ability has been generally studied as a right-hemisphere function. Recent research, however, has suggested that inferencing involves anterior regions of both the left and right hemispheres. Methods: We further explored this idea by testing a group of non-aphasic, focal frontal patients (right and left hemisphere) on a new test of inferencing, the Word Context Test. The Word Context Test requires examinees to identify the meaning of a made-up word (e.g., prifa) based on its use in a series of sentences. Findings: Patients with frontal lobe lesions were significantly impaired on this task relative to a group of age- and education-matched controls. Contrary to earlier research focusing on a special role for the right hemisphere in inferencing, there was considerable overlap in performance of right- and left-frontal patients, with right-frontal patients performing better. Conclusions: These findings suggest that inferencing is disrupted following focal frontal injury and have implications for discourse comprehension in non-aphasic patients. (JINS, 2005, 11, 426–433.)

Keywords

Frontal lobesInferencingReasoningPrefrontal cortexCognitive controlExecutive function
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , July 2005 , pp. 426 - 433
Copyright
© 2005 The International Neuropsychological Society

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