Severe behavioral complications following intracarotid sodium amobarbital injection: Implications for hemispheric asymmetry of emotion

G. P. Lee, D. W. Loring, K. J. Meador, H. F. Flanigin, B. S. Brooks

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

The intracarotid sodium amobarbital (ISA) procedure is effective in determining cerebral language dominance. However, severe emotional and behavioral reactions during ISA evaluation may invalidate the results or necessitate aborting the procedure. In an effort to identify patients at risk for behavioral complications, we reviewed 92 patients undergoing ISA evaluation and found five with severe changes in dect and behavior following amobarbital injection, ranging from prolonged coma to an extended confusional state. Severe behavioral disturbances were more likely to occur in patienta with left frontal structural lesions upon injecting amobarbital into the right hemisphere. Analysis of patients with structural lesions of the anterior regions of the right hemisphere showed no evidence of similar behavioral complications. Thew findings suggest a special role for the left frontal region in the inhibition of affective expression and provide further evidence of the importance of right hemisphere mechanisms in emotion.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1233-1236
Number of pages4
JournalNeurology
Volume38
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1988

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology

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