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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
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Virtual Prism Adaptation Therapy: Protocol for Validation in Healthy Adults
Published on: February 12, 2020
Prism adaptation improves voluntary but not automatic orienting in neglect
Tanja C W Nijboer1, Rob D McIntosh, Gudrun M S Nys
1Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. t.c.w.nijboer@uu.nl
Neuroreport
|February 28, 2008
Summary
Prism adaptation therapy temporarily improves unilateral neglect by enhancing voluntary attention orienting, particularly for endogenous cues. This suggests a mechanism of compensatory processes rather than a direct change in attentional bias.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Unilateral neglect is a debilitating condition often resulting from brain injury.
- Prism adaptation is a therapeutic technique that has shown promise in alleviating neglect symptoms.
- The precise neural mechanisms underlying prism adaptation's effects on neglect remain unclear.
Observation:
- This study examined the impact of prism adaptation on attentional orienting in two patients with left-sided neglect.
- Attentional orienting was assessed using both exogenous (peripheral) and endogenous (central symbolic) cueing paradigms.
- Visuo-motor adaptation involved a 10-degree rightward prismatic shift.
Findings:
- Prism adaptation improved leftward attentional orienting following endogenous cues in both patients.
- Leftward re-orienting of attention was also enhanced in the endogenous task for the patient with active neglect.
- No significant improvement in attentional orienting was observed with exogenous cues.
Implications:
- Prism adaptation may ameliorate unilateral neglect by strengthening voluntary, goal-directed attentional processes.
- The findings suggest that the therapeutic benefits stem from enhancing compensatory mechanisms for attention.
- This research provides insights into the neural basis of neglect and potential rehabilitation strategies.
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