The Neurophysiological Features Associated with Unilateral Spatial Neglect Recovery: A Scoping Review

The purpose of this scoping review is to provide updated information on the neural basis and neurophysiological features associated with unilateral spatial neglect (USN) recovery. We applied the Preferred Reporting Systems for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) framework and identified 16 relevant papers from the databases. Critical appraisal was performed by two independent reviewers using a standardized appraisal instrument developed by the PRISMA-ScR. We identified and categorized investigation methods for the neural basis and neurophysiological features of USN recovery after stroke using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI, and electroencephalography (EEG). This review found two brain-level mechanisms underlying USN recovery at the behavioral level. These include the absence of stroke-related damage to the right ventral attention network during the acute phase and compensatory recruitment of analogous areas of the undamaged opposite hemisphere and prefrontal cortex during visual search tasks in the subacute or later phases. However, the relationship between the neural and neurophysiological findings and improvements in USN-related activities of daily living remains unknown. This review adds to the growing body of evidence regarding the neural mechanisms underlying USN recovery.