22 



Survey of Neurobiology 



which were regarded as diagnostic are fre- 

 quently failed by normal individuals with a 

 high record of academic attainment. 



Attempts to analyze intellectual defects 

 have usually followed the pattern of a 

 facultative psychology differing little from 

 that of Gall. Recent investigations of psy- 

 chological variables have shown that the 

 diverse functions which contribute to in- 

 tellectual achievement, to facility in lan- 

 guage and in manipulation, are not defined 

 by the logical categories of faculty psychol- 

 ogy but have a different pattern which is 

 being analyzed by statistical studies of 

 "primary abilities." There are suggestions 

 that the disassociation of functions pro- 

 duced by brain lesions follows the pattern 

 of these primary abilities rather closely 

 and that a key is provided here to an 

 understanding of the actual physiological 

 mechanisms which contribute to intellec- 

 tual functions. 



The analysis and measurement of per- 

 sonality differences has not progressed as 

 far as that of intelligence, but various stand- 

 ardized procedures in addition to the psy- 

 chiatric ones have been developed and can 

 be profitably used. 



There is rarely opportunity for anatomic 

 control in human patients whose behavioral 

 defects have been studied adequately. Ani- 

 mal experiments provide for better anato- 

 mic control but do not permit of equally 

 thorough behavioral studies or of studies 

 of the higher levels of integration that are 

 restricted to man. The number of investi- 

 gators working with this technique is very 

 limited. Primate material is expensive both 

 to purchase and maintain, and adequate 

 anatomic controls require additional fa- 

 cilities and usually the collaboration of a 

 competent neuropathologist. Experimental 

 studies from those of Fritsch and Hitzig to 

 the frontal lobectomies of Jacobsen have 

 had a significant influence on the develop- 

 ment of clinical neurology. The impor- 

 tance of additional support for such work 

 can scarcely be overestimated. 



Uniform Study of Clinical Material. The 

 thousands of case histories of effects of 

 brain damage present a discouraging con- 



fusion in description and interpretation of 

 symptoms and localizing signs. There is 

 rarely either an adequate psychological ex- 

 amination or anatomic control. Cases of 

 aphasia or agnosia which would be inval- 

 uable for the evidence which they might 

 throw upon brain functions routinely pass 

 through neurological clinics that are not 

 equipped for adequate psychological study 

 and are reported inadequately, if at all. 

 Notable exceptions to this criticism are the 

 studies of Goldstein and Gelb, of Poppel- 

 reuter, and of Head and his collaborators 

 after the first world war, and more recently 

 of Weisenberg and McBride. A few neuro- 

 logical clinics are recognizing the value of 

 psychological as well as of neurological 

 study of the patients and are doing pioneer 

 work in the development of methods; but 

 there is need for a wider recognition of this 

 research field, the employment of ade- 

 quately trained personnel, and the adoption 

 of more uniform examining methods for the 

 detection and measurement of intellectual 

 defects and of personality disorders. The 

 development of organized teams for neu- 

 rological and psychological study of pa- 

 tients is a requisite for advancement of 

 studies in clinical neurology. 



PUBLICATION AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC 

 SERVICES 



Psychology has better provision for pub- 

 lication than almost any other science. Ten 

 journals and two monograph series of na- 

 tional circulation are published in the 

 United States. In addition are at least 

 three monograph series published by uni- 

 versities. Four of the journals and the two 

 monograph series accept articles in phy- 

 siological and neurological topics. There 

 is no difficulty in prompt publication of any 

 worthy article. An excellent bibliographic 

 and abstract service is provided by the 

 Psijchological Abstracts, covering quite well 

 the fields of neurophysiology, clinical neu- 

 rology, and psychiatry as well as of psy- 

 chology. 



Publication in neurology is less well pro- 

 vided for. Five American journals of na- 

 tional circulation provide for anatomic, ex- 

 perimental, and clinical material. Provision 



