title: Relationship Between Closing-In and Spatial Neglect: A Case Study.
abstract: We describe a right-brain-damaged patient with extrapersonal neglect, dysexecutive deficits, and closing-in. Because no study has investigated the relationship between spatial neglect and closing-in in patients with focal brain damage, we assessed how spatial factors (drawing direction: left-to-right, right-to-left, radial) and attentional load (single versus dual task copying; the concurrent task was counting aloud) interacted in determining our patient's closing-in. We found that her closing-in was worst when she copied the stimulus (Luria's line) from left to right; greater attentional load significantly worsened her closing-in in the right-to-left direction. Closing-in seems to be caused by a pathologic release of motor behavior, analogous to other productive manifestations of extrapersonal neglect.
authors.affiliation: *Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Caserta, Italy †Santa Chiara Institute, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conson
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nuzzaci
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sagliano
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trojano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001072:Apraxias / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001288:Attention; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013028:Space Perception; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*