title: Right spatial neglect after left hemisphere stroke: qualitative and quantitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Comparatively little research has been conducted on right neglect after left brain damage. The authors sought to assess contralateral neglect in subacute left hemisphere stroke patients using a comprehensive test battery validated in a large control group after right hemisphere stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-eight left hemisphere stroke patients were assessed. The test battery included a preliminary assessment of anosognosia and visual extinction, a clinical assessment of gaze orientation and personal neglect, and paper-and-pencil tests of spatial neglect in the peripersonal space. Only nonverbal tests were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Drawing and cancellation tasks revealed neglect in 10 to 13% of patients. The combined battery was more sensitive than any single test alone. A total of 43.5% of patients showed some degree of neglect on at least one measure. Anatomic analyses showed that neglect was more common and severe when the posterior association cortex was damaged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of occurrence of right neglect was, as expected, much lower than that reported in a study using the same assessment battery in right brain damage stroke patients. Nevertheless, neglect was found in a substantial proportion of patients at a subacute stage, suggesting that it should be considered in the rehabilitation planning of left brain damage stroke patients.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Rééducation, 4 rue du 54690 Lay St. Christophe, Institut Régional de Réadaptation, Nancy, France. jeanmarie.beis@wanadoo.fr
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Beis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartolomeo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bernati
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chokron
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leclercq
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Louis-Dreyfus
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perennou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pradat-Diehl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prairial
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rode
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rousseaux
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sieroff
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wiart
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azouvi
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006423:Hemianopsia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology