[Neurological deficit following a lesion in the parietal area 7b in the monkey]

The effect of unilateral surgical ablations of lateral part of inferior parietal lobule (area 7b) has been studied in the macaque monkey. The following neurological deficits were found: 1) A hemi-inattention for tactile stimuli applied to the hemiface and hand contralateral to the lesion; 2) A hemi-inattention for visual stimuli in the contralateral peripersonal space; 3) A reluctance to use the contralateral arm; 4) A mild and transient deficit in mouth grasping movements towards stimuli contralaterally presented; 5) Postural abnormalities of the hand contralateral to the lesion. It is proposed that area 7b is involved in the perception of the peripersonal space and in the organization of movements towards stimuli presented in that space.