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Biomedical subjects

A A Pontius

Publications and source records attributed to A A Pontius.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Model of ecological (cultural) evolutionary neuropsychiatry.

A new model posits that there are specific patterns of groupings of several delayed human cognitive functions or dysfunctions in certain ecological circumstances which characterize a significant portion of a cultural group. It is further posited that such patterns ("ecological syndromes") are primarily based on as yet unknown neurophysiological givens . This deduction is based on the occurrence of several specific groupings of delayed cognitive functions or dysfunctions that have been identified in diverse time periods and cultural groups where no brain pathology can reasonably be expected. The "ecological syndromes" were, however, noted to be analogous to those found in neuropathology. The main factor contributing to such an "ecological syndrome" appears to be a specifically limited under-use of certain functions not needed for the survival of certain populations without implying any general cultural deprivation. Some examples of "ecological syndromes" are mentioned: low arithmetic skills linked with quantitatively inaccurate pictorial (and implied mental) representation of fingers, low literacy skills linked with specifically inaccurate pictorial (and implied mental) representation of the subtle spatial relations of the configuration of the human face, and an "ecological apractognosia " observed among wigmen of New Guinea.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMed1984

Representation of spatial relations on the specific test, Draw-A-Person-With-Face-In-Front, as indicative of literacy skills in Australian aboriginals and "Westerners".

A novel test, Draw-A-Person-With-Face-In-Front, uses simple measurement with a ruler to detect subtle misrepresentation of spatial relations within the pattern of the human face (in contradistinction to facial recognition tests). Studies have repeatedly shown a close association between misrepresentation of the face and low or absent skills in widely diverse cultural populations and time periods. Recent criticism by Davidson that neglects to consider this particular test and the replications of similar results does not address the main point of my study of Australian Aboriginal children or the specification of remedial intervention made possible by fractionating factors of specific under-used capability within a cultural context.

Art↗
PubMed1984

Specific stimulus-evoked violent action in psychotic trigger reaction: a seizure-like imbalance between frontal lobe and limbic systems?

A recently proposed diagnostic class, psychotic trigger reaction, is deduced from careful clinical studies of eight white men, who upon a very specific trigger stimulus committed murder or attempted to (and in one case also rape). The new class is defined as a sudden ego-alien, motiveless (at least with respect to aggression), motor-wise well organized, violent complex action without emotional concomitants. The action is evoked (not provoked) by an individually unique stimulus within a specific context reviving repeated past traumatic experience. Typically there is no (significant) loss of consciousness and practically full recall. Observed are first-time hallucinations (visual, auditory, tactile, somesthetic, but not olfactory as in temporal lobe epilepsy) and signs of imbalance in the autonomic nervous system (loss of bladder control, ejaculation, profuse sweating, nausea). Only four of these men had previous psychiatric diagnoses (and then various ones) or abnormal EEGs at some time in their lives. Variety in prior diagnoses would be consistent with a seizure-like disorder, here specifically implicating an imbalance in functioning between limbic and frontal lobe systems. Clinical tests for the latter were prevailingly indicative of dysfunctioning. A detailed clinical analysis of the violent acts within their context suggests behaviors are analogous to certain limbic system mechanisms, especially the kindling phenomenon.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Links between literacy skills and accurate spatial relations in representations of the face: comparison of preschoolers, school children, dyslexics, and mentally retarded.

A specific link is found between low or absent literacy skills and a specific misrepresentation of spatial relations exclusively of the upper part of the human face. This misrepresentation, determined by simple measurement, is found in 32% of the pictorial representations of 407 preschoolers whose drawings were published by various authors as well as in 32% of 44 preschoolers tested here. By contrast, after having had instruction in literacy, the proportion of such misrepresentations of the face drops to 7.5% and 10%, respectively, although, as expected, not in the drawings by 236 mildly mentally retarded or by 297 dyslexic children, 33% and 39% of whom, respectively, still misrepresent the face. In addition to a developmental factor, a further one, as yet undetermined, may be at work and related to a specific deficit in representing the spatial relations of the face. Data further support the previously suggested existence of a specific and general trend for a link between literacy skills and accurate representation of the spatial relations of the pattern of the face also noted previously in diverse cultural groups and periods.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Pictorial misrepresentation of spatial relations of the face by certain chronic alcoholic men: an interpretation implicating spatial aspects of memory.

Specific deficit in the pictorial (and implied mental) representation of subtle spatial relations of the upper part of the pattern of the human face is demonstrated in 22% of 344 chronic alcoholic skid row men as against 12% of 406 controls, based on protocols for a novel Draw-A-Person-With-The-Face-In-Frontal-View Test. This drawing was previously shown to be sensitive to the detection of ability to represent visually subtle yet elementary spatial relations. A speculative interpretation of the present data and of mnemonic techniques described in the literature suggests that accurate mental representation of these spatial relations may be required particularly during the encoding phase of memory processes which appears to be especially inefficient for those with chronic alcoholism. Aside from the brain systems of the frontal and occipital-parietal lobes, the hippocampal mediation of elementary spatial relations particularly may be implicated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Finger misrepresentation and dyscalculia in an ecological context: toward an ecological (cultural) evolutionary neuro-psychiatry.

A new model posits the existence of a general link between ecological (cultural) factors and post-natally evolving cognitive functions and in particular the emergence of such functions in specific clusters. Such "ecological syndromes" are characteristic of a significant portion of a cultural group and analogous to syndromes found with certain brain lesions without implying them. Presently a specific link is noted between known low skills in arithmetic and as tested here, quantitatively inaccurate pictorial (and implied mental) representation of fingers in 78% of New Guineans and 70% of Indonesians living in remote areas, while only 16% of Western European regular school children (ages 7 to 10 yr.) misrepresented the fingers in drawing a person. Previously a link between low literacy skills and inaccurate spatial relations in representing the pattern of the face was found for diverse time periods and cultural groups.

Agnosia↗
PubMed1982

Face representation linked with literacy level in colonial American tombstone engravings and Third World preliterates' drawnings. Toward a cultural-evolutional neurology.

Among colonial North-American artisans, subgroups of South-Americans, Indonesians and New Guineans, a close correspondence exists between illiteracy rates and specifically spatially inaccurate representations of the upper face configuration, a characteristic also seen in the pre-literate period of 'neolithic' art, in early individual development, and in certain pathological regressions. Common to the configuration both of lexical signs and of the face is a specific spatial-relational ratio and orientation. Accurate representation of both configurations appear to be neuro-developmentally linked, within a cultural context, and consistent with a novel position that the 'ontogeny' of such cognitive functions recapitulates their prevailingly culturally determined 'phylogeny'.

Anthropology, Cultural↗
PubMed1982

Global spatial relations in face representations shown in "ecological dyslexia" of Australian Aboriginals and in "Western" dyslexics.

Two culturally diverse populations, 297 Western European dyslexic youths and 269 Australian Aboriginal school children (80 to 90% of whom meet the operationally defined criteria for "dyslexia") contain a subgroup of similar proportions (35% and 39%, respectively) who on the Draw-A-Person test also show specific "neolithic face" misrepresentation characteristic of the pre-literate period of "neolithic art". By contrast only 8% and 4% respectively of 578 Western European eulexics and of 48 Australian European school children drew such specifically distorted face proportions. These findings suggest a subgroup of dyslexia who show a subtle spatial-relational dysfunction, interpreted as being primarily linked to Aboriginal school children's ecologically determined lack of practice of certain brain systems (particularly of the hippocampus).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Geometric figure-rotation task and face representation in dyslexia: role of spatial relations and orientation.

Two tasks tapping various kinds of spatial-relations representation were given to test the role of spatial representation in writing and reading. (1) An intentional rotation task using six geometric (Bender-Gestalt) figures was performed by 356 children (ages 8 to 15 yr.), namely, 252 normal readers and 104 dyslexic children. (2) A draw-a-person test with the face from the front was added, since previous studies showed a significant positive correlation between un- or under-developed writing and reading abilities on one hand, and the specifically distorted pictorial representation of the upper part of the human face ("neolithic faces") on the other. Compared to normal readers, the dyslexic children not only drew significantly more "neolithic faces" but also made more errors of spatial displacement (up/down or right/left) on parts of asymmetric figures, while among both groups there were similar percentages (67.06% and 65.38%, respectively) of children who made no errors in the merely global rotation of the figures. The specific difficulty in the performance of a subgroup (78.85%) of dyslexic children on the figure rotation task appears to be analogous to certain errors made with lexical signs, where the global shape is preserved, while its asymmetrical parts may be displaced: (b = d = q = p, N = Z). Analogously, the "neolithic faces," while misrepresenting (obliterating) the spatial-relationally complex and individualized bridge of the nose area, preserve merely its global configuration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Stimuli triggering violence in psychoses.

Various behavioral and neurophysiological models are suggested to objectify and quantify the defense of insanity and to assess dangerousness in someone who is being considered for release from custody. Two cases are presented that show a pattern of specific relationships between traumatic experiences in youth and a later trigger stimulus that releases homicidal action. Until a refined classification system and neurophysiological understanding of sudden aggression can be achieved, forensic psychiatrists should be aware of the psychotic trigger reaction within a clinical psychiatric model.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Pre-literate people in New Guinea and Indonesia draw specifically distorted faces, as do 'Western' dyslexics, using a paleo visual-representational mode.

Third World populations with a persisting high percentage of preliterates within individual groups draw specifically distorted patterns of the human face characteristic of 'neolithic art' to a degree negatively correlated with the accessibility of reading instruction. A subgroup of 'Western' dyslexic youths also draw these distorted face patterns, which, moreover, facilitate infants 'smiling response'. These findings suggest the persistence of a developmentally early visual representational mode which proceeds in a global way, disregarding differences in characterizing details, whether of face patterns or of lexical symbols.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Somesthetic hallucinations and motility in schizophrenia: neurophysiological views and information flow model.

Clinical study of three schizophrenic men without known seizure disorders has heuristic implications, pointing to neurophysiological factors in their somesthetic hallucinations: (a) In two instances the body areas involved in such hallucinations (the abdominal cavity and the top of one foot) also happen to be represented side by side on the "map" of the receptive somesthetic areas at the postcentral gyrus. (b) In all three schizophrenic men the occurrence of their somesthetic hallucinations can be conceptualized along the lines of MacKay's (1970) information flow model for perception in general, with some specific modifications, which center around the key roles of sufficient change occurring in two specific aspects of this model. (c) Further conceptualization is suggested within Grey Walter's (1973) testable model of triple association among Conditional, Imperative and Operant Response--albeit mostly in reverse sequence with respect to somesthetic hallucinations under discussion. These schizophrenic men reveal in their past and present experiences a pattern in which the sequence of events is initiated through changes at the efferent side (restriction of voluntary motility), which trigger afferent experiences, albeit hallucinated ones. Practical implications center around the probably salutary role of voluntary motility performed purposefully and at the person's own pace.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Dyslexia and specifically distorted drawings of the face - a new subgroup with prosopagnosia-like signs.

Identification of a subgroup (38%) of dyslexics (new syndrome?). These, against controls (5.5%), drew 'neolithic' face configurations analogous to those visually experienced in prosop-agnosia. Essential symptoms of this subgroup are seen as result of specific early ways of processing visual data: lexical shapes (letters, words) and facial features, as if these were concrete entities, not abstract component parts. Thus, with letters, taken as entities, d = q, d = b, N = Z.

Adolescent↗