title: Lateral specialization in unilateral spatial neglect: a cognitive robotics model.
abstract: In this paper, we present the experimental results of an embodied cognitive robotic approach for modelling the human cognitive deficit known as unilateral spatial neglect (USN). To this end, we introduce an artificial neural network architecture designed and trained to control the spatial attentional focus of the iCub robotic platform. Like the human brain, the architecture is divided into two hemispheres and it incorporates bio-inspired plasticity mechanisms, which allow the development of the phenomenon of the specialization of the right hemisphere for spatial attention. In this study, we validate the model by replicating a previous experiment with human patients affected by the USN and numerical results show that the robot mimics the behaviours previously exhibited by humans. We also simulated recovery after the damage to compare the performance of each of the two hemispheres as additional validation of the model. Finally, we highlight some possible advantages of modelling cognitive dysfunctions of the human brain by means of robotic platforms, which can supplement traditional approaches for studying spatial impairments in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Education Sciences, University of Catania, Via Biblioteca 4, 95124, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.affiliation: Psychology Operative Unit, IRCCS "Maria SS" Oasi di Troina, 73, Conte Ruggero, 94018, Troina, Italy.
authors.forename: Santo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Nuovo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL48AA, UK.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cangelosi
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Robotics, Sheffield Hallam University, Howard Street, Sheffield, S11WB, UK. a.dinuovo@shu.ac.uk.|Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Enna "Kore", Viale delle Olimpiadi, 94100, Enna, Italy. a.dinuovo@shu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2677-2650
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Nuovo
mesh_terms: D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012371:Robotics; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cognitive robotics; Embodied cognition; Hemisphere specialization; Neuropsychology; Unilateral spatial neglect