title: Neglect and Motion Stimuli--Insights from a Touchscreen-Based Cancellation Task.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In stroke patients, neglect diagnostic is often performed by means of paper-pencil cancellation tasks. These tasks entail static stimuli, and provide no information concerning possible changes in the severity of neglect symptoms when patients are confronted with motion. We therefore aimed to directly contrast the cancellation behaviour of neglect patients under static and dynamic conditions. Since visual field deficits often occur in neglect patients, we analysed whether the integrity of the optic radiation would influence cancellation behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients with left spatial neglect after right-hemispheric stroke were tested with a touchscreen cancellation task, once when the evenly distributed targets were stationary, and once when the identic targets moved with constant speed on a random path. The integrity of the right optic radiation was analysed by means of a hodologic probabilistic approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Motion influenced the cancellation behaviour of neglect patients, and the direction of this influence (i.e., an increase or decrease of neglect severity) was modulated by the integrity of the right optic radiation. In patients with an intact optic radiation, the severity of neglect significantly decreased in the dynamic condition. Conversely, in patients with damage to the optic radiation, the severity of neglect significantly increased in the dynamic condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Motion may influence neglect in stroke patients. The integrity of the optic radiation may be a predictor of whether motion increases or decreases the severity of neglect symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hopfner
authors.affiliation: Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kesselring
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology & Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cazzoli
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive and Restorative Neurology, Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Klemens
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gutbrod
authors.affiliation: Division of Computer Science, Institute for ICT-Based Management, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Biel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Annett
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laube-Rosenpflanzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chechlacz
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology & Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nef
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology & Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mosimann
authors.affiliation: Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Center of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bohlhalter
authors.affiliation: Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Gerontechnology & Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Division of Cognitive and Restorative Neurology, Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: René M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Müri
authors.affiliation: Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Gerontechnology & Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Center of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nyffeler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001519:Behavior; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011859:Radiography; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*