title: Efficacy of visuo-spatial training in right-brain damaged patients with spatial hemineglect and attention disorders.
abstract: Several rehabilitative approaches have been used to reduce neglect disorders. Some studies tried to demonstrate that hemineglect can be ameliorated by using tasks promoting attentional activation towards the neglected hemispace (Robertson et al., 1995, 2001). As a consequence, a functional link between level of attention and disorders of space exploration has been proposed. For this reason we tried to explore the possible role of attentional deficits on the efficacy of a standard neglect treatment based on visuo spatial rehabilitation. In this study we then examined the performances of a selected group of seven right brain damaged patients, suffering from both severe hemineglect and attentional deficits (of both phasic and tonic components of attention), to several tasks before and after a visuo-spatial training (VST) whose efficacy has been already demonstrated (Pizzamiglio et al., 1992). Results showed that VST induces a significant remission of hemineglect symptoms independently from disorders of attention. Moreover, after visuo-spatial rehabilitation, no improvement of attentional deficits is detectable.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Research Centre and Diagnosis and Neuropsychological Therapy Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia Fondation, Rome, Italy. laura.piccardi@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piccardi
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nico
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bureca
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matano
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guariglia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D013028:Space Perception; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome