Unilateral spatial neglect: assessment and rehabilitation strategies

Unilateral spatial neglect is one of the most striking disorders of cognition. Focal brain lesions, more commonly on the right, produce profound deficits in the awareness of contralateral self and space. This article reviews the assessment and current theoretical explanations of neglect, in light of rehabilitation. The presence of neglect is a predictor of poor functional recovery. No treatment protocols have been demonstrated to unequivocally aid the rehabilitation of these patients. However, based on a growing understanding of underlying mechanisms in the neglect syndrome, several promising treatment strategies have emerged. Group studies designed to establish the efficacy of these therapeutic options are urgently needed.