Clinical assessment of parietal lobe function

The notion of specific assessments of the function of a particular lobe of the brain is in many ways archaic. Advances in our understanding of brain network function have revealed that brain functions are underpinned by large-scale networks with long range connections between cortical distant regions. It would, therefore, be more correct to discuss the contributions of parietal areas to specific functions. Nevertheless, in clinical practice, as we show here, simple bedside assessment can still often point towards parietal dysfunction, or at least reveal an impairment in a function to which parietal regions normally contribute.

Automated summary

The concept of specific assessments of the function of a particular lobe of the brain is outdated. Brain network function is supported by large-scale networks with long-range connections. It is more appropriate to discuss the contributions of parietal areas to specific functions. Nevertheless, simple bedside assessments can still often indicate parietal dysfunction or reveal impairments in functions that parietal regions normally contribute to.