Iiagerott, K.P. & Whitman,.R,D. Wayne State University. Hemispheric asymmetries in auditory processing and cognitive style.

This study examined the relationship between dichatic listening task performance (DLT), verbal and visual-spatial skills, and gender. Forty-one right handed males and females were administered two visual- spatial tasks, three verbal tasks, and a CV dichotic listetiing task. Laterality was categorized into four groups based on DLT performance (left ear advantage (LEA), no ear advantage, weak right ear advantage fREAf, strong REAf. Results indicated that females largely composed the LEA groupl and males primarily exhibited a REA. The most remarkable finding was a significant number of females in the strong REA group. Males demonstrated higher performance on a visual- spatial task, but females demonstrated greater variablility on this task. No significant sex differences were noted on verbal tasks. Overall, laterality did not consistently account for cognitive performance; however, extreme REA's demonstrated stronger performance on both types of tasks. Implications for methodology in future DLT research is discussed.

Wanlon, R.E., & Cicerone, K.D. Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Edison, NJ Resolution of Ideomotor Apraxia

The progressive resolution of ideomotor apraxia was examined during the acute recovery stage, following massive left cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) in 3 young adult aphasics. Subjects were systematically evaluated on an extensive ideomotor apraxia battery on 4 consecutive occasions during the first 3 months post-stroke. An orderly progression of recovery of praxis was revealed beginning with the relatively rapid resolution and general preservation of axial movements, through the slower recov- ery of proximally driven upper limb movements, to the com- paratively delayed partial resolution of distal movements. A qualitative error analysis revealed that the capacity to accurately produce transitive gestures (i.e., pantomimes of object use) to command and imitation improved minimally, in contrast to the near complete resolution of intransitive gestures and meaningless mavements. These findings are consistent with the theoretical model which holds that axial movements are preserved, relative to limb and partic- ularly distal movements, due to the differential organ- ization of the motor systems involved in the execution of such movements. The results also support the view that conventional gestures and meaningless movements have greater potential for recovery than pantomimed object use in a.praxic aphasics. followinrr left CVAs.