Finding Wally: prism adaptation improves visual search in chronic neglect

Several studies have found that visuo-motor adaptation to rightward deviating prismatic goggles (prism adaptation) can alleviate symptoms of neglect after brain damage, but the long-term effect and clinical relevance of this rehabilitation approach have been questioned. In particular, the effect on visual search performance is controversial. In the present study 6 patients with chronic spatial neglect due to rightsided focal brain damage were given 20 sessions of prism adaptation over a period of two weeks. These patients, as well as a matched control group of neglect patients (n=5), were tested using a variety of effect measures with special emphasis on visual search at baseline, shortly after training, and five weeks later. A positive and very consistent long-term effect of prism adaptation was found across clinical tests of neglect, lateral bias of eye movements, and measures of everyday function, including subjective reports. The results show that prism adaptation can provide durable and clinically significant alleviation of neglect symptoms, even in the stable phase of recovery.