Hemispatial Inattention (Visual Neglect) - Brainline.org

It is a problem that is often confused with homonymous hemianopsia. Hemispatial inattention may occur with or without a homonymous hemianopsia. Jumptonavigation Sharethispage Facebook Twitter Email Print Comment HemispatialInattention(VisualNeglect) LauraK.Windsor,O.D.,F.A.A.O.andRichardL.Windsor,O.D.,F.A.A.O,Hemianopsia.netRelatedContent: VisionIsOurDominantSenseCranialNerveTestwithNeurologistJamesKellyandNHLGreatPatLaFontaineNeurologistJamesKellyandNHLGreatPatLaFontaine:NeuropsychologyTestIntroductiontoVisionandBrainInjuryVisionIssuesAfterBrainInjuryHemianopsiaandDriving:AreWeAskingtheRightQuestions?HomonymousHemianopsia:RightVersusLeftHemisphericInjury "Tobelieveinthethingsyoucanseeandtouchisnobeliefatall.Buttobelieveintheunseenisbothatriumphandablessing."                  —BobProctor Hemispatialinattentionisanattentiondisorderthatpreventsthepatientfromattendingtostimuliononeside.Whileitcanhappentoeithertherightortheleftside,itusuallyonlybecomesaclinicalproblemwhentherighthemisphereofthebrainisdamagedandthepatientisunabletoattendtotheleftsideoftheworld.Itisquitevariableinpresentationandismorelikelyasetofproblemsratherthanonespecificcondition. Itisaproblemthatisoftenconfusedwithhomonymoushemianopsia.Hemispatialinattentionmayoccurwithorwithoutahomonymoushemianopsia.Whilehomonymoushemianopsiaisaphysicallossofvisualfieldtothesamesideinbotheyes,visualneglectisanattentionproblemtoonesideoftheirbody.Wecandividepatientsintothreegroups;thosewithahomonymoushemianopsiaandnohemispatialinattention;thosewithhemispatialinattentiononly(nohemianopsia)and,thosewithbothhomonymoushemianopsiaandhemispatialinattention.Itisimportanttodeterminethestatusoftheneglectversusfieldlosssothatpropertreatmentscanbeinitiated. Hemispatialinattentionismorethanavisualcondition,apatientwithhemispatialinattentionmaynotrespondtoavoicewhenthepersonisontheleftsideandmaynotbeabletorecallmemoriesofobjectsorplacesthatwouldnormallybetohisleftinaspecificsituation.Amanwithhemispatialinattentionmayonlyshaveonesideofhisfacewhileapatientwithonlyahemianopsiawouldcompensatebyturninghisheadandeyestoshavebothsidesofhisface.Theseproblemscanrelatetobraininjuryindifferentareas,butareoftenassociatedwithdamageintherightparietallobeofthebrain.Thepatientmayormaynothavealossofvisualfield,butduetothelefthemispatialin-attentioncannotlearntocompensatebecausetheycannotmentallyattendtoleftside. Visualneglectusuallyindicatesaworseoutcome.Overtimethenaturalcourseforvisualneglectistoslowlyimprove,butoutcomesarequitevariable.An18monthperiodhasbeensuggested,butresultsarevariable.Occupationaltherapymayimproveoutcomesinmanypatientsandvisualfieldexpandersmayhavepotentialtohelpinsomecases. Severehemispatialinattentioncanbesuspectedbygrossobservationalone.Thesubtleformscanbelessobvious,butmorecrucialforpatientswithmildneglectwhomaybeattemptingtofullyreintegrateintotheworldagainincludingdesirestodriveorreturntoworkwhicharesituationswhereevenmildhemi-spatialin-attentioncouldbedangerous. Clickhererestofthisarticle,plusphotosandimages.   PostedonBrainLineMay20,2010. FromHemianopsia.net,TheLowVisionCentersofIndiana.Usedwithpermission.www.hemianopsia.net. Addnewcomment Advertisement BrainLineisanationalserviceofWETA-TV,theflagshipPBSstationinWashington,D.C. BrainLine,WETAPublicTelevision 3939CampbellAve.Arlington,VA22206E-mail|Phone:703.998.2020 ©2021WETAAllRightsReserved | ContactUs