Spatial Neglect Therapy With the Augmented Reality App "Negami" for Active Exploration Training: A Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Spatial neglect is a common and debilitating consequence of stroke.
• Current therapies for spatial neglect have varying degrees of efficacy.
• Active exploration training is a promising avenue for neglect rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the Negami augmented reality (AR) app for spatial neglect treatment.
• To compare the Negami app's effectiveness against standard neglect therapy.
• To assess improvements in attention and orientation bias in stroke patients with spatial neglect.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with two groups of stroke patients diagnosed with spatial neglect.
• One group received Negami AR app training, while the control group underwent standard neglect therapy.
• Both groups received 5 weekly 25-minute sessions over 2 weeks, with assessments over 5 weeks and a 1-2 month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The Negami group showed significant improvement in 4 out of 5 neglect tests, whereas the standard therapy group improved in only 1 test.
• Superior improvement was observed in the Negami group from the first week of training.
• These gains remained significant and stable up to 1-2 months post-treatment.

Conclusions:

• The Negami AR app is an effective treatment for spatial neglect.
• Negami can serve as a valuable alternative or adjunct to conventional neglect therapies.
• The augmented reality approach demonstrates potential superiority over standard neglect rehabilitation methods.