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Computer-based attention-demanding testing unveils severe neglect in apparently intact patients
M Bonato1, K Priftis, C Umiltà
1Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. mario.bonato@unipd.it
Behavioural Neurology
|June 21, 2012
Summary
Computer-based tasks reveal subtle spatial neglect in patients who pass traditional tests. Attention-demanding assessments are more sensitive for detecting contralesional deficits in right-hemisphere damage patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Spatial neglect is a common deficit following right-hemisphere damage.
- Traditional cancellation tasks may not detect subtle neglect in post-acute patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sensitivity of computer-based tasks in detecting spatial neglect.
- To compare computer-based tasks with traditional cancellation tasks for identifying neglect.
Main Methods:
- Ten post-acute right-hemisphere damaged patients with no neglect on cancellation tasks were tested.
- Computer-based single- and dual-tasks assessed awareness of lateralized targets.
- Tasks required oral naming of target position (left vs. right).
Main Results:
- Patients omitted ~40% of contralesional targets in single-task conditions.
- Dual-task conditions severely impacted awareness of contralesional hemispace (~70% omissions).
- Performance on ipsilesional targets remained high, indicating selective contralesional deficit.
Conclusions:
- Computer-based, attention-demanding tasks are more sensitive than cancellation tasks for detecting spatial neglect.
- These tasks are less susceptible to compensatory strategies used by patients.
- Subtle neglect in contralesional hemispace can be identified using these advanced methods.
