Unilateral spatial neglect in Alzheimer's disease. A line bisection study

Neuropsychological studies on Alzheimer's disease (AD) have rarely mentioned about unilateral spatial neglect in spite of widespread use of visuospatial tasks. We reported a 62-year-old woman with probable AD who showed moderate dementia with left unilateral spatial neglect and relatively preserved language function. An extensive line bisection study with either hand confirmed her having left unilateral spatial neglect. Single photon emission computed tomography revealed relative hypoperfusion in the right temporal and parietal regions. AD patients with disproportionate right hemisphere dysfunction may exhibit left unilateral spatial neglect if tested adequately in the stage of mild to moderate dementia. We consider that application of the line bisection test to AD patients contributes to estimation of their right hemisphere function.