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Lateralized brain dysfunction in autism: Evidence from the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological battery

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Abstract

Selected tests from the Halstead Reitan neuropsychological battery were administered to 10 male individuals who had been diagnosed as autistic in early childhood. Results from the battery obtained from the autistic group were compared with a group of retarded persons matched for IQ and with a group of patients with demonstrable diffuse brain damage. As a group, the autistic subjects showed a pattern of deficits indicative of a significantly greater degree of left hemisphere dysfunction than either comparison group. Furthermore, within-subject comparisons revealed that the autistic group had a significantly greater left than right hemisphere dysfunction, while neither comparison group showed this lateralized pattern.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, 013A, University of North Carolina, 268 Davie Hall, 27514, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

    Geraldine Dawson

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  1. Geraldine Dawson
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Additional information

The cooperation of the autistic persons and their parents is sincerely appreciated. Drs. Martha Perry and Jim Sackett provided helpful feedback on the design and execution of the study, and Dick Holm helped greatly with the analysis of the data. Dr. Eric Trupin provided both the equipment and necessary clinical facilities. Dr. C. G. Matthews's provision of protocols from retarded subjects was critical to the research. Financial support was received from the Gattzert Foundation, the Developmental Research Fund at the University of Washington, and a Biomedical Research Grant provided by the Graduate School, University of Washington.

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Dawson, G. Lateralized brain dysfunction in autism: Evidence from the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological battery. J Autism Dev Disord 13, 269–286 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531566

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