Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026
10:31
Non-invasive Imaging and Analysis of Cerebral Ischemia in Living Rats Using Positron Emission Tomography with 18F-FDG
Published on: December 28, 2014
The relationship between visuospatial ability and cognitive function in patients with right-hemisphere infarction.
Haruhisa Kato1, Miyuki Seki, Junya Shindo
1Department of Neurology, Research Institute for Brain and Blood Vessels, Akita, Japan. h-kato@tokyo-med.ac.jp
Journal of the Neurological Sciences
|August 1, 2012
Summary
Visuospatial ability in patients with right-hemisphere infarction is closely linked to cognitive function, particularly in attentional tasks. This study clarifies the relationship using the mini-mental state examination and behavioral inattention test.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neurology
Background:
- The link between visuospatial ability and cognitive function in patients with right-hemisphere damage remains debated.
- Right-hemisphere lesions can impact various cognitive domains, including spatial processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between visuospatial ability and overall cognitive function in patients with right-hemisphere infarction.
- To differentiate the impact of attentional versus intentional tasks on cognitive assessment in this patient group.
Main Methods:
- Studied 54 patients with acute/subacute right-hemisphere infarction, excluding those with bilateral or infero-tentorial lesions.
- Administered the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the Japanese edition of the Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT).
- BIT subtests were categorized into intentional (line, star, character cancellation) and attentional (copy, line bisection, drawing) tasks.
Main Results:
- A significant negative correlation was found between MMSE scores and errors in BIT's attentional tasks (p=0.0022, ρ=-0.352).
- No significant correlation was observed between MMSE scores and errors in BIT's intentional tasks (p=0.1769).
Conclusions:
- Attentional tasks within the BIT are more sensitive to cognitive function deficits than intentional tasks in right-hemisphere infarction patients.
- Visuospatial abilities assessed via attentional tasks show a stronger association with cognitive function in this population.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Lateralization
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
01:12Visual Agnosia
Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round end"...
01:05Cerebral Hemispheres
The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...