Visual neglect in right-sided apoplectic lesions

Abstract

Patients (55) with right-sided apoplectic brain lesions prospectively and consecutively collected, were analyzed as to the frequency of visual neglect. The syndrome was present in 18 patients, 10 of whom had left hemi- or quadrantanopia. Two patients had anopia with Anton''s syndrome. Only the visual neglect without visual field defects was closely related to denial of hemiparesis. The 2 components of the syndrome of visual neglect, defects in registering visual information from the left side and defective appreciation of own condition are described and analyzed. Psychological theories of the processes behind the syndrome of neglect have difficulties in joining the cardinal features of the syndrome satisfactorily. Theories on the specific role of the right hemisphere in connection with attention/arousal and complex gnostic functions are referred to in the discussion of the syndrome.