PAROXYSMAL DYSPHASIA AND THE PROBLEM OF CEREBRAL DOMINANCE

Abstract

In 126 cases paroxysmal expressive dysphasia occurred significantly more frequently in left-handed patients with aura than in right-handed patients with aura, irrespective of the side of the epileptic focus. In right-handed cases it was more common in patients with left-sided disturbance than in those with right sided disturbance but no such difference was observed in left-handed patients. Paroxysmal receptive dysphasia was rare except in right-handed patients with left sided foci and its incidence about half that of expressive dysphasia. The differences observed are consistent with differences in the degree of cerebral specialization for language with respect to bilaterality or representation in a single hemisphere.