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The Wechsler subtests in mild organic brain damage associated with folate deficiency1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

M. I. Botez*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Neurology Service, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital and Department of Computer Science and Operation Research, University of Montreal, Canada
Thérèse Botez
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Neurology Service, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital and Department of Computer Science and Operation Research, University of Montreal, Canada
Urs Maag
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Neurology Service, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital and Department of Computer Science and Operation Research, University of Montreal, Canada
*
2Address for correspondence: Dr M. I. Botez, Neuropsychology Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, 110 Pine Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2W 1R7.

Synopsis

Forty-nine patients with low serum and cerebrospinal fluid folate levels completed the Ottawa–Wechsler Scale after 7–11 months of folate supplementation (10 mg daily). Twelve patients exhibited major neurological symptoms, while 37 patients displayed depression and minor neurological signs. After folate therapy, Verbal, Performance and Full Wechsler scores were significantly improved (P ≺ 0·0·01). The order of improvement in scores on the Wechsler subtests (from the statistically most significant to the least as measured by the t-statistics) was: Block Design, Digit Symbol, Similarities, Picture Completion, Picture Arrangement, Arithmetic, Object Assembly, Digit Span, Information, and Comprehension.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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Footnotes

1

This paper was presented at the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society, Mexico City, February 1983.

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