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Updated: Dec 19, 2025
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Virtual Reality Tools for Assessing Unilateral Spatial Neglect: A Novel Opportunity for Data Collection
Published on: March 10, 2021
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Degenerative dementia with proximal radial and lower vertical spatial neglect
Kulrithra Pisanuwongrak1,2,3,4, Parunyou Julayanont1,2, Kenneth M Heilman1
1Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Malcom Randall VA Medical Center , Gainesville, FL, USA.
Neurocase
|June 7, 2020
Summary
This study highlights spatial neglect in a dementia patient, linking posterior parietal cortex degeneration to memory loss and navigation difficulties. Testing for spatial neglect is crucial in degenerative dementia cases.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Neurology
Background:
- Progressive memory loss and cognitive decline are hallmarks of degenerative dementia.
- Spatial neglect, a deficit in awareness of one's environment, can significantly impact daily functioning and safety.
Observation:
- A 75-year-old male presented with a two-year history of memory loss, financial difficulties, and getting lost.
- Neurological examination revealed cognitive deficits, particularly in attention.
- Brain imaging showed hippocampal atrophy and bilateral leukoaraiosis affecting the posterior parietal lobes.
Findings:
- The patient exhibited significant upward bias on vertical line bisection and distal bias on radial bisection, indicating vertical and radial spatial neglect.
- Posterior parietal cortex degeneration is hypothesized to underlie both leukoaraiosis and the observed spatial neglect patterns.
Implications:
- Unawareness of spatial portions can lead to disability and injury in patients with degenerative dementia.
- Routine screening for vertical and radial spatial neglect is recommended for patients with dementia, particularly those with posterior parietal degeneration or leukoaraiosis.
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