Oculomotor behaviour in simultanagnosia: a longitudinal case study.
The aim of the present single case study was to investigate oculomotor recovery in a patient with simultanagnosia due to biparietal hypoxic lesions. Applying visual exploration as well as basic oculomotor tasks in three consecutive test sessions--i.e. 8 weeks, 14 weeks, and 37 weeks after brain damage had occurred--differential recovery was observed. While visual exploration remarkably improved, an impaired disengagement of attention persisted. The improvement of exploration behaviour is interpreted within an oculomotor network theory and implications for a deficit-specific recovery from simultanagnosia are discussed.
Nyffeler
Thomas
T
Perception & Eye Movement Laboratory, Department of Clinical Research, University of Berne, Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse 10, 3010 Berne, Switzerland. thomas.nyffeler@insel.ch
Pflugshaupt
Tobias
T
Hofer
Helene
H
Baas
Uli
U
Gutbrod
Klemens
K
von Wartburg
Roman
R
Hess
Christian W
CW
Müri
René M
RM
D000377:Agnosia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*