A METHOD FOR DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN DAMAGE IN ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

On the basis of age and sex differences, 9 of the 13 ratios originally presented by Hewson were modified and successfully used to differentiate organic and non-organic adolescent subjects. Among the 160 control subjects (40 of each sex in a young and in a late adolescent age range), 92% had non-organic summary diagnoses according to the adolescent ratios. Hewson''s original ratios yielded only 73% non-organic diagnoses for this group. Of the 40 experimental subjects, 100% of those who had positive neurological diagnoses had organic diagnoses according to the adolescent ratios. Only 80% of these subjects had organic diagnoses when Hewson''s original ratios were used. In the group who showed no residual neurological impairment, 38% of those suspected of organicity had organic diagnoses according to both Hewson''s and the adolescent ratios. In the remaining subjects who showed no residual neurological impairment but who had conclusive disorders, 67% had organic diagnoses according to the adolescent ratios while only 16% were classified as organic by Hewson''s original ratios. Relationships between the present IQ and the age of the subject at the time of injury indicated that early injured subjects had lower IQs than did later injured subjects.