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IN THE
REHABILITATION OF PATIENTS
WITH
UNILATERAL SPATIAL INATTENTION
Maura E. Massucci, OD sonal space as proposed by Stein,4 and
U
INTRODUCTION
Gibsonia, PA elaborated by Suchoff and Ciuffreda.2
nilateral spatial inattention (USI),
Abstract Table 1 summarizes the behavioral conse-
also known as neglect, can occur
Unilateral spatial inattention (USI), also quences of USI in each of these spaces.
subsequent to acquired brain injury, in-
known as neglect, can occur subsequent In the majority of patients, the signs and
cluding traumatic brain injury or cerebral
to acquired brain injury, including trau- symptoms of neglect disappear spontane-
vascular accident (CVA).1,2 USI can oc-
matic brain injury or stroke. USI can be ously within six weeks to three months
cur with or without a visual field defect,
present with or without a visual field de- after the CVA. Patients with USI can
as determined by standard clinical meth-
fect, as determined by standard clinical show varying degrees of spontaneous im-
ods, and most often results from injury to
methods. Patients with USI can show provement in the days, weeks, or months
the right posterior parietal cortex.2 Since
varying degrees of spontaneous recovery after insult to the posterior parietal cortex
the posterior parietal cortex is responsible
within the first three months post-brain occurs. However, for many patients, USI
for the cognitive representation of space,
injury, but for many patients, USI symp- symptoms remain severe.2,5 Persistence
insult to this cortical area can result in a
toms remain severe. Yoked prism has long of USI symptoms beyond three months
defect on the patients contralateral side.
been used in optometric management of has been linked with poor functional and
While USI can occur after damage to ei-
visual field defects, including USI. In this motor prognosis. Over 25% of patients
ther the left or right hemisphere, it is much
regard recent research shows that prism do not experience complete spontaneous
more common after right brain damage.
adaptation (PA) to a rightward displace- recovery beyond this point.6 Their symp-
This is probably because in most people,
ment of the visual field improves USI toms of neglect can persist for several
the right hemisphere is dominant for con-
symptoms. Not only does PA ameliorate years, and their quality of life is greatly
trol of spatial attention.3 Most of the lit-
neglect on a sensorimotor level, it also diminished.5,7
erature regarding USI limits discussion
influences higher spatial representation For those who do not experience complete
to USI consequent to right hemispheric
and cognition. Its effects continue for up spontaneous resolution of USI symptoms,
damage from a CVA. For that reason, the
to six months with two weeks of twenty rehabilitation is prescribed. USI is par-
following discussion focuses on USI that
minute per day PA training. Though PAs ticularly difficult to rehabilitate due to
occurs on the patients left side after dam-
mechanism is not fully understood, the the fact that the patient is unaware of the
age to the right hemisphere of the brain.
posterior parietal cortex and cerebellum problem.8 Rehabilitation specialists have
USI can manifest itself in a patients per-
are implicated in the process. PA has employed both bottom-up and top-down
sonal space, peri-personal and extra-per-
huge implications for USI rehabilitation; strategies to increase patients ability to
its non-invasive nature makes it an effec- Table 1: Spatial areas where USI may occur and behaviors associated with each area.2,4
tive rehabilitation tool to ameliorate both Area of Descrip- Impairment of Associated Behaviors
visuo-motor responses and higher levels Space tion
of spatial representation and cognition in Personal Poor Body awareness Anosognosia or asomatognosia
USI patients. awareness Extinction, hemianaesthesia, hemipa-
of body resis, hemiplegia
schema Body schema unawareness
Key Words Instability
acquired brain injury, cerebral vascular Akinesia, hypokinesia, hypometria,
impersistence
accident, hemi-inattention, neglect, pos-
Peri- External Difficulty making purposeful Misses food on one side of plate
terior parietal cortex, prism, prism after- personal world within motor actions such as: Fails to comb hair, apply make-up,
effect, stroke, traumatic brain injury, uni- arms reach o Reaching for objects shave one side of face
lateral spatial inattention, yoked prism o Manipulating objects Unable to copy or spontaneously draw
one side of a picture
Unaware of objects placed on one side
of table
When dressing, fails to put limbs into
shirt and pants on one side
Extra- External Visual and Auditory space Unresponsive to sounds, objects,
Massucci ME.. Prism adaptation in the rehabilita- personal world Visual motor control people on affected side
tion of patients with unilateral spatial inattention. J further than Visual localization Collides with objects and people which
Behav Optom 2009;20:101-105. arms reach Visual representation of world pop up suddenly out of nowhere