Biomedical subjects

A Sunderland

Publications and source records attributed to A Sunderland.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1987

Arm function after stroke: measurement and recovery over the first three months.

Four short, simple measures of arm function, suitable for use with patients recovering from acute stroke, are described. These tests are: the Frenchay Arm Test, the Nine Hole Peg Test, finger tapping rate and grip strength. Good interobserver and test-retest reliability was demonstrated for all tests, and the Frenchay Arm Test was shown to be valid. Normal values for all tests were established on 63 controls. It was found that the limited sensitivity of the Frenchay Arm Test could be improved using the Nine Hole Peg Test and grip strength. Recovery of arm function has been studied in a sample of 56 patients seen regularly over the first 3 months after their stroke, using these standard measures. The results demonstrated a wide variation in recovery curves between patients. The use of the Nine Hole Peg Test enabled further recovery to be detected after patients achieved a top score on the Frenchay Arm Test. Failure to recover measureable grip strength before 24 days was associated with absence of useful arm function at three months. Measurement of finger tapping rate was not useful.

Aged↗

PubMed1987

The natural history of visual neglect after stroke. Indications from two methods of assessment.

A simple copying task and a measure of position preference on a multiple-choice test were used to assess the incidence of visual neglect after stroke. The patients studied were drawn from a register of strokes occurring in a typical health district. These tests detected visual neglect in 8-11% of patients 3 weeks after stroke and it was more frequent after right-sided rather than left-sided brain damage. Significant neglect was rarely observed by 6 months after stroke but further recovery did occur between 6 months and 1 year. Neglect appeared to exert a slowing influence on rehabilitation and we propose that training procedures to combat neglect should be evaluated for routine use in rehabilitation centres.

Aged↗

PubMed1986

Subjective memory assessment and test performance in elderly adults.

The everyday memory of a group of elderly adults was assessed using techniques developed for use with younger head-injured people (Sunderland et al., 1983). The participants completed a memory questionnaire and a daily checklist; their spouses gave their assessment using a separate questionnaire. These subjective methods showed only moderate agreement, and the questionnaire had low test-retest reliability. It appears that these methods of subjective memory assessment have little validity when used with normal elderly adults. Two positive findings did emerge: As in previous studies, a story recall test was the strongest predictor of reported memory performance; and despite a universal belief among elderly adults that their memory had deteriorated with age, very few of them felt that they were at all handicapped by forgetfulness in everyday life.

Aged↗

PubMed1984

Memory failures in everyday life following severe head injury.

Questionnaires concerning the incidence of memory failures in everyday life were used in a postal survey of the aftereffects of severe head injury. Several years after a severe injury, 50 patients were compared to 33 patients a similar period after a very mild injury. A questionnaire completed on behalf of each patient by someone living in daily contact with him appeared to have some validity as a memory measure. The pattern of memory failures reported was similar to that found in a previous study and this may primarily reflect the ease with which certain forms of memory failure can be observed. A questionnaire completed by the patients themselves had little validity, possibly because severely injured patients could not recall their own memory failures. Only a minority of severely injured patients were reported to be significantly handicapped by memory failures at this stage in their recovery.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1981

A brief survey of the management of memory disorders in rehabilitation units in Britain.

A survey of rehabilitation units and other hospitals and departments involved in the management of memory dysfunction revealed considerable variation in approaches to treatment and in assessment techniques. A very few respondents with a special interest in memory dysfunction were used wide ranges of tests, training procedures and aids. Other respondents were concerned about the lack of training and in the management of memory problems and the lack of guidance as to what techniques should be used. A pragmatic approach to helping patients with particular problems is contrasted with general memory training and the assumptions underlying such training are discussed.

Brain Diseases↗