Subcortical neglect is not always a transient phenomenon: evidence from a 1-year follow-up study.
Compared to cortical lesions, spatial neglect following subcortical stroke is most frequently seen as a mild and transient phenomenon. Since this assumption is based on only few observations, we reexamined the prognosis and severity of spatial neglect in patients with circumscribed right-sided basal ganglia or thalamic lesions in the acute and in the chronic phase of the stroke. On average, 1.15 years after stroke, spatial neglect had persisted in about 40% of the patients with subcortical lesions. The severity was reduced to about one third. The results argue against the view that spatial neglect following subcortical lesions typically has a favorable prognosis.
Fruhmann Berger
Monika
M
Neuropsychology Section, Center of Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tubingen, Tubingen, Germany.
Johannsen
Leif
L
Karnath
Hans-Otto
HO
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications