Personal neglect: A comprehensive theoretical and anatomo-clinical review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Neurology

Background:

• Personal neglect (PN) is characterized by inattention to the contralateral bodily space following cerebral lesions, typically in the right hemisphere.
• Understanding PN is crucial for diagnosing and treating patients with brain injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review theoretical accounts, diagnostic measures, and recovery issues related to personal neglect.
• To examine the anatomo-functional correlates of PN using voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of the PubMed database for studies on PN published in the last 30 years.
• Data extraction and tabulation of relevant clinical information for discussion.

Main Results:

• Current PN evaluation tools have limitations; comprehensive testing including object use is recommended.
• Dedicated rehabilitation for PN is lacking but advocated, as recovery can be independent of extrapersonal neglect.
• PN is frequently linked to body representation disorders and alterations in the anterior parietal cortex and fronto-parietal pathways.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for updated diagnostic and rehabilitative approaches for personal neglect.
• PN may result from a combination of body representation disorders and spatial inattention.