Eye movements in patients with visual neglect following right hemisphere stroke

Abstract

Failure to move the eyes to the side of space contralateral to a brain lesion may account for some aspects of visual neglect. Eye movements were recorded in four groups of right hemisphere stroke patients: 18 patients with no neglect or hemianopia; nine patients with neglect and no hemianopia; three patients with hemianopia but no neglect; and 16 patients with both neglect and hemianopia. In addition, a normal control group of 20 subjects was studied. Patients with no neglect or hemianopia spent significantly longer observing the left side of five slides than normal controls, or those with visual neglect. There were no significant differences between control and neglect patients, but neglect patients looked significantly more to the right than non-neglect patients. Patients with most severe neglect tended to be those who failed to search the left side of space. Severity of neglect as assessed on the Behavioural Inattention Test was the best predictor of bias in eye movements.

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