Performance on tests of frontal lobe function reflect general intellectual ability.

Full Abstract

Recent studies have indicated that performance on tests of frontal lobe function are highly associated with general intellectual ability (g). Some authors have even claimed that the available evidence does not support a more specific account of frontal lobe function than to provide a general intellectual function for the performance of goal directed tasks. We examined the relationship between performance on the WAIS-R (as a measure of g) and performance on standard tests of frontal lobe function in 123 healthy individuals. Our results demonstrate that in healthy individuals (i) performance on the most popular tests of frontal lobe function shares significant variance, and (ii) a large proportion of that shared variance is highly associated with performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales-Revised (WAIS-R), so that the tests are similar to the extent that they measure g. Performance on the Modified Card Sorting Test (MCST), however, is not related to g. The results support the claim that many tests of frontal lobe function measure primarily a non-specific intellectual function but also indicate that some tests, like the MCST, may be assessing more specific cognitive operations.

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Author information

Author/s: Obonsawin, M C (MC); Crawford, J R (JR); Page, J (J); Chalmers, P (P); Cochrane, R (R); Low, G (G);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Strathclyde, 40 George Street, Glasgow G1 1QE, UK. m.c.obonsawin(-atsign-)strath.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Neuropsychologia (Neuropsychologia), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-; vol 40 (issue 7) : pp 970-7

Dates: Created 2002/03/19; Completed 2002/06/11; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 11900749, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Female
Frontal Lobe - physiology

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