Performance by cortical lesion patients on 40 and 60% time-compressed materials.

Abstract

Tape recordings of time-compressed (40 and 60%) monosyllables were administered to 11 patients with diffuse unilateral temporal lobe lesion, 4 hemispherectomy patients, and 16 patients with discrete unilateral temporal lobe lesion. Time compression was accomplished with the Fairbanks electromechanical apparatus, which allowed temporal compression but did not introduce frequency distortion. The results revealed that with 60% time compression, all patients with diffuse unilateral cortical lesion showed breakdown of speech discrimination in the ear contralateral to the lesion. Patients with discrete unilateral cortical lesion generally did not demonstrate breakdown with the 60% time-compressed materials.