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Word-finding deficits persist after left anterotemporal lobectomy
Langfitt JT, Rausch R.. Archives of neurology, 1996-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To determine the incidence and extent of exacerbation of word-finding difficulty following anterotemporal lobectomy and to identify predictors of change. Design Case-series study of qualitative and quantitative changes in confrontation naming ability before surgery and 1 year after surgery. Stepwise multiple regression analysis of predictors of postoperative naming change. Setting A university epilepsy surgery program. Participants Fifty-nine consecutive patients. Intervention Standard, en bloc anterotemporal lobectomy. Main outcome measure Raw scores and types of errors on the 85-item Boston Naming Test. Results A significant exacerbation of word-finding difficulty was noted that persisted at least 1 year after surgery in 25% of patients with left, speech-dominant anterotemporal lobectomy (Laterality x Time interaction [F = 24.5; P Conclusions Significant, persisting worsening of word-finding difficulties is not a rare consequence of a left anterotemporal lobectomy, as suggested by previous studies. Differences between these results and those of previous studies may reflect differences in extent of surgical resection and/or differential sensitivity of psychometric measures of naming to word-finding problems. Information regarding extent, frequency, and predictors of word-finding declines may be used in counseling surgical candidates about the potential cognitive side effects of anterotemporal lobectomy.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Langfitt, J. T., & Rausch, R. (1996). Word-finding deficits persist after left anterotemporal lobectomy. Archives of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1996.00550010090021
Vancouver
Langfitt JT, Rausch R. Word-finding deficits persist after left anterotemporal lobectomy. Archives of neurology. 1996. doi:10.1001/archneur.1996.00550010090021. PMID: 8599562.
BibTeX
@article{langfitt1996-8599562,
author = {Langfitt, J. T. and Rausch, R.},
title = {{Word-finding deficits persist after left anterotemporal lobectomy}},
journal = {Archives of neurology},
year = {1996},
doi = {10.1001/archneur.1996.00550010090021},
pmid = {8599562},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1996.00550010090021}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results A significant exacerbation of word-finding difficulty was noted that persisted at least 1 year after surgery in 25% of patients with left, speech-dominant anterotemporal lobectomy (Laterality x Time interaction [F = 24.5; P < .0005]). "Tip-of-the-tongue"-type errors were most frequent (F = 54.66; P < .001), as opposed to paraphasic-type errors seen more frequently among patients with aphasia or dementia.
- Differences between these results and those of previous studies may reflect differences in extent of surgical resection and/or differential sensitivity of psychometric measures of naming to word-finding problems.
Why it matters
This study found that one in four patients who had left temporal lobe surgery for epilepsy had lasting word-finding problems one year later. It is about surgical side effects, not about treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 39/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Archives of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Archives of Neurology: journal h-index 353 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1996 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 153 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.8 citations a year over 32 year(s) since 1996 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Rebecca Rausch: h-index 34 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Rochester: institution h-index 1,195 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 8599562) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 39 / 100 | — |
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