[Analysis of mental functions in patients after coronary bypass surgery]. / Analiz psikhicheskikh funktsii u patsientov, perenesshikh aortokoronarnoe shuntirovanie.

The neuropsychological examination was carried out in 18 men (study group), mean age 59.7 +/- 6.6 years, before and after aorto-coronary bypass. The neuropsychological tests were carried out 2-3 days before operation and 14-16 days after it. 12 non-operated men with coronary artery disease, mean age 60.0 +/- 6.7 years, were studied as a control group. In control group the neuropsychological tests were conducted with a 16-19 day interval. The tests examined short-term verbal and visual memory, semantic memory. At statistical analysis of the results the mean values and confidential intervals were calculated allowing for Student's coefficient. In control group at consecutive tests the negative dynamics of the results was not revealed. The comparison of the tests results in the study group patients before and after operation revealed the a decrease of neuropsychological parameters by 20-40% on the average irrespective of material modality. Features of cognitive changes revealed in early postoperative period, testifies to diencephalic type of the disorders.

[The acute period of brain concussion: the dynamics of the clinical and neuropsychological symptoms]. / Ostryi period sotriaseniia golovnogo mozga: dinamika klinicheskikh i neiropsikhologicheskikh simptomov.

Analysis of significant correlations between clinical and neuropsychological symptoms in 104 young patients with no anamnesis load, made in the acute period of brain concussion (BC), has demonstrated that the intensity of clinical symptoms correlates with the grade of disorders of higher mental functions (HMF). Besides, significant correlations were discovered between neuropsychological symptoms of brain stem injury and disorders of energy supply to HMF as well as between clinical symptoms of the involvement of the limbic-diencephalic structures and disorders of arbitrary control and emotional disturbances which are determined by the involvement into the pathological process of the anterior parts of the right and left cerebral hemisphere. The dynamic of clinical and neuropsychological symptoms after BC lies in the regression of disorders of stem nonspecific system, diencephalic and limbic structure functions. Toward the end of the acute period the structure of the neuropsychological syndrome is determined by disorders of arbitrary regulation of HMF, which are associated with dysfunction of the mediobasal parts of the frontal lobes, largely of the left hemisphere.

[Visual-form thinking of patients before and after stereotaxic surgery on the ventrolateral nucleus of the thalamus]. / Nagliadno-obraznoe myshlenie u bol'nykh do i posle stereotaksicheskikh operatsii na ventrolateral'nom iadre talamusa.

An examination of patients with deformed muscular dystonia before and after stereotaxic surgery on the ventrolateral nucleus of the thalamus showed that prior to the surgery they had a certain difficulty in solving tasks involving mental manipulation with three-dimensional objects and constructive activity. It took them more time to accomplish these tasks and they made different mistakes as compared to normal. Changes in the object and image thinking differed, depending on the side of the destruction of the ventrolateral nucleus of the thalamus. Patients with right-side lesion were prone to overturn both a three-dimensional figure and a two-dimensional image, they showed greater changes in conducting tests on mental manipulation and constructive activity as against the patients who had left-side cryodestruction. It may be assumed that impairment of the complex forms of spatial functions manifested in mental manipulation with objects and in constructive activities is related to the work of the subcortical formations of the right hemisphere.