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Updated: May 10, 2026
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Virtual Reality Tools for Assessing Unilateral Spatial Neglect: A Novel Opportunity for Data Collection
Published on: March 10, 2021
Vestibular hemispatial neglect: patterns and possible mechanism
Kwang-Dong Choi1, Dae Soo Jung, Min-Kyung Jo
1Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University, School of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, 1-10 Ami-dong, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, Korea.
Summary
Unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy can cause hemispatial neglect. This neglect may stem from dysfunction in vestibular pathways, not just eye or body position biases, affecting the vestibular cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vestibular System Research
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- Hemispatial neglect is increasingly linked to vestibular system dysfunction at the cortical level.
- The precise cause of hemispatial neglect in unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy remains undetermined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy causes hemispatial neglect.
- To determine if this neglect results from horizontal biases or vestibular cortical dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Studied 25 patients with acute vestibular neuritis.
- Assessed hemispatial neglect and horizontal biases in eye position, head, and body orientation.
Main Results:
- Hemispatial neglect was observed in 32% of patients.
- Contralesional and ipsilesional neglect occurred equally.
- Patients with neglect showed impaired bisection task performance.
- Horizontal bias did not differ between patients with or without neglect.
Conclusions:
- Acute unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy can lead to hemispatial neglect.
- Neglect is likely secondary to vestibular cortical dysfunction, involving damaged vestibular subnuclei and their projections.
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