A study published in Neuropsychology reveals that stroke researchers have confirmed that damage to the right frontal-subcortical network may cause ipsilateral spatial neglect. The study was conducted in 12 patients with ipsilateral neglect. A news release from the Kessler Foundation notes that a computerized line-bisection task was used to evaluate spatial errors of “where” and “aiming.” The authors of the study are Daniela L. Sacchetti and A.M. Barrett, MD, Kelly M. Goedert, PhD, and Anne L. Foundas MD.

The results of the study, titled “Ipsilesional Neglect: Behavioral and Anatomical Correlates,” show that among individuals with ipsilateral neglect, a much greater proportion had frontal subcortical damage that expected by investigators; specifically, 83% versus the anticipated 27%. A difference was also seen in spatial bias—ie, the type of spatial errors among this group tended to be “where” (perceptual-attentional) rather than “aiming” (motor-intentional) errors, as indicated on the Kessler Foundation news release.

A.M. Barrett, MD, co-author of the study, states, “Little is known about ipsilateral neglect, which is much less common than contralesional neglect. Our findings confirm that of prior studies showing that these patients tend to have lesions of the frontal-subcortical network.”

Barrett adds, “An unexpected finding was the spatial bias toward ‘where’ errors in this group. We need further investigation to determine the differences in functional deficits between ipsilateral and contralateral neglect, and the clinical implications of those differences for rehabilitation interventions.”

[Source: Kessler Foundation]