ABSTRACT
This study reports on brain activity induced by picture-based personality tests. Near-infrared spectroscopy is a newly developed, noninvasive technology in neuroimaging that can measure brain activity through blood volume changes. We measure the prefrontal cortex (Brodmann Area 10 [BA10]) activities of adolescents during the Rorschach (1921), the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Study (PFS; Hayashi, 1964), and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1943). BA10 showed that the PFS was left-hemisphere dominant and significantly different from the Rorschach and TAT, which showed a tendency to be right-hemisphere dominant. We believe that this tendency reflects emotion and sociality.
Subject(s)
Prefrontal Cortex/physiology , Projective Techniques/standards , Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared , Adolescent , Female , Functional Laterality , Humans , Japan , Male , Prefrontal Cortex/blood supply , Rorschach Test/standards , Thematic Apperception Test/standardsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The goal of this clinical study was to examine the frequency and clinical features of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) relative to suicide attempts by adolescents. METHOD: Ninety-four adolescent patients under age 20 participated in this study; it was a consecutive study of individuals who had attempted suicide and had been hospitalized for inpatient treatment. RESULTS: Twelve of the 94 subjects (12.8%) were diagnosed with PDD. The ratio of males in the PDD group was higher than that in the non-PDD group (P=.017). There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding the rate of patients having mood or anxiety disorder (P=.037). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that PDD should always be a consideration when dealing with adolescent suicide attempts.
