Neuropsychological studies of brain-damaged patients suggest that the right hemisphere (RH) is specialized for behavioral functions that collectively contribute to social interaction and bonding. In particular, patients with right hemisphere damage (RHD) are reported to have abnormalities in emotional facial expression and prosody, attention, arousal, and mood. While these social-emotional disorders of the right hemisphere have ben documented in laboratory assessment, there has been little research examining their effects on natural behavior and interpersonal relations. Given the importance of social cognition in daily interaction, these disorders may prove more disabling for RHD patients and their families than previously thought.
The specific aims of this study are a.) to document the extent and evolution of social-emotional and cognitive dysfunction in our population of RHD patients using laboratory measures that have been proven reliable in previous research; and b.) to examine the effects of right versus left hemisphere damage and associated neurobehavioral disorders (documented in laboratory assessment) on spontaneous social interaction and marital relations during the 18 month follow-up period. We will compare patients with unilateral right and left hemisphere infarcts and age and sex-matched control patients with orthopedic disease on laboratory measures of paralinguistic, neuropsychological, and affective function and correlate these results with subjects' performance in studies of spontaneous social interaction. First, judges will rate facial expression and prosody in videotapes of interviews with patients and their spouses. Second, the spouse of each patient will observe and record patient social behavior at regular intervals over the 18 month follow-up period. We will also examine mood and perceptions of marital satisfaction in spouses as a function of presence and side of lesion in the patient. This research will contribute to basic knowledge of the brain regions involved in social behavior, as well as provide clinicians and caregivers with information regarding the effects of these impairments on interpersonal relations during both the acute and chronic phases. In the longterm, this research should contribute to the management of social-emotional and marital disturbance resulting from localized brain damage.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
First Independent Research Support & Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29)
Project #
5R29NS029082-02
Application #
3478206
Study Section
Sensory Disorders and Language Study Section (CMS)
Project Start
1992-04-01
Project End
1997-03-31
Budget Start
1993-04-01
Budget End
1994-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Kentucky
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
832127323
City
Lexington
State
KY
Country
United States
Zip Code
40506
Blonder, Lee X; Pettigrew, L Creed; Kryscio, Richard J (2012) Emotion recognition and marital satisfaction in stroke. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 34:634-42
Blonder, Lee X; Langer, Shelby L; Pettigrew, L Creed et al. (2007) The effects of stroke disability on spousal caregivers. NeuroRehabilitation 22:85-92
Heath, Robin L; Blonder, Lee X (2005) Spontaneous humor among right hemisphere stroke survivors. Brain Lang 93:267-76
Langer, S L; Wilson, J F; Pettigrew, L C et al. (2000) Channel-consistency following unilateral stroke: an examination of patient communications across verbal and nonverbal domains. Neuropsychologia 38:337-44
Langer, S L; Pettigrew, L C; Blonder, L X (1998) Observer liking of unilateral stroke patients. Neuropsychiatry Neuropsychol Behav Neurol 11:218-24
Langer, S L; Pettigrew, L C; Wilson, J F et al. (1998) Personality and social competency following unilateral stroke. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 4:447-55
Blonder, L X; Pickering, J E; Heath, R L et al. (1995) Prosodic characteristics of speech pre- and post-right hemisphere stroke. Brain Lang 51:318-35
Blonder, L X; Burns, A F; Bowers, D et al. (1995) Spontaneous gestures following right hemisphere infarct. Neuropsychologia 33:203-13