title: Visual Spatial Attention Training Improve Spatial Attention and Motor Control for Unilateral Neglect Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effect of visual spatial training on the spatial attention to that on motor control and to correlate the improvement of spatial attention to motor control progress after visual spatial training in subjects with unilateral spatial neglect (USN).
  
  
  METHODS
  9 cases with USN after right cerebral stroke were randomly divided into Conventional treatment group + visual spatial attention and Conventional treatment group. The Conventional treatment group + visual spatial attention received conventional rehabilitation therapy (physical and occupational therapy) and visual spatial attention training (optokinetic stimulation and right half-field eye patching). The Conventional treatment group was only treated with conventional rehabilitation training (physical and occupational therapy). All patients were assessed by behavioral inattention test (BIT), Fugl-Meyer Assessment of motor function (FMA), equilibrium coordination test (ECT) and non-equilibrium coordination test (NCT) before and after 4 weeks treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total scores in both groups (without visual spatial attention/with visual spatial attention) improved significantly (BIT: P=0.021/P=0.000, d=1.667/d=2.116, power=0.69/power=0.98, 95%CI[-0.8839,45.88]/95%CI=[16.96,92.64]; FMA: P=0.002/P=0.000, d=2.521/d=2.700, power=0.93/power=0.98, 95%CI[5.707,30.79]/95%CI=[16.06,53.94]; ECT: P=0.002/ P=0.000, d=2.031/d=1.354, power=0.90/power=0.17, 95%CI[3.380,42.61]/95%CI=[-1.478,39.08]; NCT: P=0.013/P=0.000, d=1.124/d=1.822, power=0.41/power=0.56, 95%CI[-7.980,37.48]/95%CI=[4.798,43.60],) after treatment. Among the 2 groups, the group with visual spatial attention significantly improved in BIT (P=0.003, d=3.103, power=1, 95%CI[15.68,48.92]), FMA of upper extremity (P=0.006, d=2.771, power=1, 95%CI[5.061,20.14]) and NCT (P=0.010, d=2.214, power=0.81-0.90, 95%CI[3.018,15.88]). Correlative analysis shows that the change of BIT scores is positively correlated to the change of FMA total score (r=0.77, P<;0.01), FMA of upper extremity (r=0.81, P<0.01), NCT (r=0.78, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four weeks visual spatial training could improve spatial attention as well as motor control functions in hemineglect patients. The improvement of motor function is positively correlated to the progresses of visual spatial functions after visual spatial attention training.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiangtong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Sicong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenli
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Cui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wenting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guangyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Tifei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China. shanclhappy@163.com.
authors.forename: Chunlei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shan
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013028:Space Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014796:Visual Perception