Spatial Neglect Midline Diagnostics From Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in a Free-Viewing Environment

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Spatial cognition is crucial for daily functioning.
• Spatial neglect is a common and debilitating deficit after stroke.
• Conventional assessments may not fully capture the heterogeneity of spatial neglect.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utility of virtual reality (VR) combined with eye tracking for assessing spatial neglect subtypes in stroke patients.
• To determine if VR and eye tracking can identify neglect characteristics not detectable by standard clinical tests.

Main Methods:

• Eighteen stroke patients with spatial neglect and 16 healthy controls underwent a free-viewing task in a 3D virtual museum using VR headsets and eye tracking.
• Performance asymmetry, including gaze metrics and head orientation, was analyzed at group and individual levels.

Main Results:

• Four of six VR and eye tracking measures showed significant group differences between patients and controls.
• Gaze asymmetry and head orientation were sensitive indicators of spatial neglect at the group level.
• VR and eye tracking identified two patients missed by conventional tests and revealed individual-level neglect patterns not apparent in group analyses.

Conclusions:

• VR and eye tracking represent a promising tool for differential diagnosis of spatial neglect subtypes.
• This approach may lead to more sensitive diagnostic methods for spatial neglect.
• Tailored diagnostics could inform more effective, individualized treatment strategies for stroke patients with spatial neglect.