Related Experiment Videos
Visual neglect after right posterior cerebral artery infarction
C M Bird1, P Malhotra, A Parton
1Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 17, Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, UK. chris.bird@ucl.ac.uk
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|June 15, 2006
Summary
Right-sided posterior cerebral artery (PCA) infarction can cause visual neglect. Damage to specific white matter tracts connecting the occipital and parietal lobes is crucial for developing neglect.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Visual neglect is a common deficit following stroke.
- Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) strokes can affect visual processing.
- The neuroanatomical basis of visual neglect after PCA infarction requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize visual neglect in patients with right-sided PCA infarction.
- To identify the neuroanatomical correlates of visual neglect in this patient group.
Main Methods:
- Fifteen patients with acute right-sided PCA strokes were assessed for neglect using cognitive tests.
- Higher-order visual perception was evaluated in a subset of patients.
- Lesion mapping compared patients with and without neglect to identify critical brain areas.
Main Results:
- Visual neglect was observed in 8 out of 15 patients.
- Impairments in higher-order visual perception were noted in 5 of 6 patients tested.
- Neglect was critically associated with damage to occipital white matter, specifically the tract connecting the parahippocampal gyrus to the parietal angular gyrus.
Conclusions:
- Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) stroke is a potential cause of visual neglect.
- Interruption of the white matter pathway between the parahippocampal and angular gyri is a key factor in the manifestation of visual neglect.