title: A circle-monitor for computerised assessment of visual neglect in peripersonal space.
abstract: Current assessment of visual neglect involves paper-and-pencil tests or computer-based tasks. Both have been criticised because of their lack of ecological validity as target stimuli can only be presented in a restricted visual range. This study examined the user-friendliness and diagnostic strength of a new "Circle-Monitor" (CM), which enlarges the range of the peripersonal space, in comparison to a standard paper-and-pencil test (Neglect-Test, NET).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten stroke patients with neglect and ten age-matched healthy controls were examined by the NET and the CM test comprising of four subtests (Star Cancellation, Line Bisection, Dice Task, and Puzzle Test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The acceptance of the CM in elderly controls and neglect patients was high. Participants rated the examination by CM as clear, safe and more enjoyable than NET. Healthy controls performed at ceiling on all subtests, without any systematic differences between the visual fields. Both NET and CM revealed significant differences between controls and patients in Line Bisection, Star Cancellation and visuo-constructive tasks (NET: Figure Copying, CM: Puzzle Test). Discriminant analyses revealed cross-validated assignment of patients and controls to groups was more precise when based on the CM (hit rate 90%) as compared to the NET (hit rate 70%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CM proved to be a sensitive novel tool to diagnose visual neglect symptoms quickly and accurately with superior diagnostic validity compared to a standard neglect test while being well accepted by patients. Due to its upgradable functions the system may also be a valuable tool not only to test for non-visual neglect symptoms, but also to provide treatment and assess its outcome.
authors.affiliation: NeuroCure Clinical Research Center and Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ulm
authors.affiliation: NeuroCure Clinical Research Center and Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wohlrapp
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meinzer
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steinicke
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Humboldt University Berlin and Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schatz
authors.affiliation: Median Klinik Berlin-Kladow, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Denzler
authors.affiliation: NeuroCure Clinical Research Center and Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klehmet
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany ; Median Klinik Berlin-Kladow, Berlin, Germany ; Center for Rehabilitation Research, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dohle
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Science and Psychology, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niedeggen
authors.affiliation: NeuroCure Clinical Research Center and Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany ; Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meisel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Humboldt University Berlin and Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: York
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Winter
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016288:Computer Terminals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*