Prismatic adaptation effects on spatial representation of time in neglect patients

Processing of temporal information may require the use of spatial attention to represent time along a mental time line. We used prismatic adaptation (PA) to explore the contribution of spatial attention to the spatial representation of time in right brain damaged patients with and without neglect of left space and in age-matched healthy controls. Right brain damaged patients presented time underestimation deficits, that were significantly greater in patients with neglect than in patients without neglect. PA inducing leftward attentional deviation reduced time underestimation deficit in patients with neglect. The results support the hypothesis that a right hemispheric network has a role, per se, in time perception. Moreover, they suggest that right hemisphere is important in time perception for its control of spatial attention, engaged in spatial representation of time. Procedures that ameliorate left spatial deficits could also be useful for modulating temporal deficits in right brain damaged patients with neglect.