F-2-19-07
IS UNILATERAL SPATIAL NEGLECT A SINGLE PHENOMENON?
: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE EXPLORATORY-MOTOR AND THE VISUAL COUNTING TESTS
Shinichiro Maeshima, George Truman, Dennis S. Smith (Rehabilitation Studies, University of Sydney & Royal Rehabilitation Centre, Australia), Nobuyuki Dohi (Hiroshima Prefectual College of Health Science & Welfare), Kunio Nakai, Toru Itakura, Norihiko Komai (Wakayama Medical College)
Objective: The aim of this study is to report the preliminary findings of a traditional battery of tests and our original battery capable of assessing the presence of the component and extent of the lesions in patients with unilateral spatial neglect.
Methods: Thirty patients who had unilateral spatial neglect with a stroke in right hemisphere were assessed for unilateral spatial neglect on an exploratory-motor (E-M) task, a visual counting (V-C) task, and traditional neglect batteries 4 weeks after the onset. Other neuropsychological tests and computed tomography were also performed to investigate the relationship with neglect.
Results: Factor analysis shows that the tasks loaded significantly on three factors. E-M neglect was found in 16 patients, and V-C neglect in 22 in patients with unilateral spatial neglect. There are high correlations between E-M neglect and motor paralysis, word fluency, backward digit span and motor impersistence. There are high correlations between V-C neglect and visual field defect, line bisection, line cancellation and figure copying. Lesions in the frontal lobe, eaudate, insula, and anterior portion of the paraventricular white matter were commonly associated with E-M neglect. Lesion in occipital lobe was also associated with V-C neglect.
Conclusion: We suggest that unilateral neglect is not a single phenomenon. It is possible that there are some different components in unilateral spatial neglect. We propose that E-M task and V-C task are useful methods for evaluating the extent of lesions in patients with unilateral spatial neglect.
F-2-19-08
NEW WHEEL-CHAIR FOR UNILATERAL SPATIAL NEGLECT
Hiroshi Muneshige (Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan), Hiroaki Kimura Noriyo Takahashi, Tomohiro Asou, 0samu Yoshimura, Yoshikazu Ikuta
Purpose: Unilateral spatial neglect by cerebral vascular disorder shows troubles in many activities of day living and is difficult to get good exercise result. So we developed the new wheel-chair with a mirror, an ultrasonic sensor and a power assist system.
Method: Seventies year old female was left hemiplegia and left spatial neglect by brain infarction. Patient drove a normal wheel-chair and the new wheel-chair at same 30 meters course each three times. And we measured the driving time and the collision counts.
Results: The driving time of normal wheel-chair was 2 minutes and 40 seconds. The collision counts of normal wheel-chair was 2.7 and the collision counts of new wheel-chair was 0.8.
Conclusion: The new wheel-chair with a mirror, an ultrasonic sensor and a power assist system was useful for an unilateral spatial neglect patient to transport.
