What are the other Names for this Condition? (Also known as/Synonyms)

• Hemineglect
• Spatial Neglect
• Unilateral Neglect

What is Hemispatial Neglect (Definition/Background Information)

• Hemispatial Neglect is a condition that typically results from having a stroke, or in some cases, physical trauma to the brain such as from sports injury or accident
• Patients with Hemispatial Neglect commonly experience loss of sensation in one side of their body. Typically, patients might fail to respond to certain stimuli on their affected side whether that be visionary or auditory
• Treatment is typically focused on restoring the cognitive deficits of the affected side or exposing the patient to constant stimuli
• Hemispatial Neglect can have a variety of outcomes; although with adequate treatment, most cases result in improvement. The prognosis of those affected is stated to be variable

Who gets Hemispatial Neglect? (Age and Sex Distribution)

• Hemispatial Neglect may affect individuals of all ages; although, it is most prevalent in older individuals (over 80 years of age)
• Studies have shown that the incidence rate of Hemispatial Neglect due to stroke is similar in women and men
• Worldwide, individuals of all races and ethnic groups are susceptible to the condition

What are the Risk Factors for Hemispatial Neglect? (Predisposing Factors)

Common risk factors associated with Hemispatial Neglect include: 

• Individuals, who have had strokes or are genetically prone to strokes, have an increased risk for Hemispatial Neglect
• Individuals with head trauma or brain injury are at a higher risk
• Other factors include tumors involving the brain and neurodegenerative diseases
• In older adults, the risk for Hemispatial Neglect may be increased. However, there is no increased risk for one gender over the other (both males and females have the same risk)

It is important to note that having a risk factor does not mean that one will get the condition. A risk factor increases one’s chances of getting a condition compared to an individual without the risk factors. Some risk factors are more important than others.

Also, not having a risk factor does not mean that an individual will not get the condition. It is always important to discuss the effect of risk factors with your healthcare provider.

What are the Causes of Hemispatial Neglect? (Etiology)

The main cause of Hemispatial Neglect is damage to the brain, specifically to the parietal cortex/right parietal area.

• This can result from a variety of factors, and the most common cause is a brain stroke
• Sports injuries or accidents involving the brain may also result in Hemispatial Neglect
• Other secondary causes include lesions/tumors in the cortical area of the brain, which can lead to dysfunction in brain networks

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Hemispatial Neglect?

The signs and symptoms of Hemispatial Neglect may vary widely between individuals and can be mild or severe depending on the specific cause of the condition. These may include: 

• Lack of sensation on one side of the body
• Failure to recall information associated with the affected side of the body. An example would be loss of auditory information from the affected side
• It is very likely that patients will not realize they are missing half of their vision on the affected side
• Some individuals may experience spatial symptoms with respect to oneself. An example would be shaving only one side of the face
• Others may experience extra-personal symptoms (such as involving the environment). An example would be leaving food on one side of the plate

How is Hemispatial Neglect Diagnosed?

Hemispatial Neglect may be diagnosed in the following manner: 

• Hemispatial Neglect is typically diagnosed based on the signs and symptoms assessed, and the individual’s physical behavioral patterns and daily habits. This can vary from case to case
• There are many physical tests administered to determine if Hemispatial Neglect is present. One such example being the clock drawing test (asking to draw a clock on a piece of paper)
• Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS): It is a standardized test to assess motor function in patients

Many clinical conditions may have similar signs and symptoms. Your healthcare provider may perform additional tests to rule out other clinical conditions to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.

What are the possible Complications of Hemispatial Neglect?

The complications due to Hemispatial Neglect may include: 

• Patients may have difficulties performing at full cognitive capacity on their affected side
• Some cases can result in permanent sensory loss such as loss of hearing on the affected side
• Overall quality of life can be severely affected

How is Hemispatial Neglect Treated?

The two main forms of directed treatment for Hemispatial Neglect are improving the patient’s attention to the side that is affected and improving their motor ability.

• Methods, such as visual scanning or cold-water vestibular stimulation, may help improve patient performance
• Performing cognitive exercises on the patient’s affected side has been proven to show improvement
• Studies have shown improvement by focusing on changing the environment to always present stimuli to the affected side
• It is important to address additional deficits caused by the underlying cause of the condition such as stroke, brain injury, or brain tumor

How can Hemispatial Neglect be Prevented?

• Currently, there are no specific methods or guidelines to prevent Hemispatial Neglect, as it is usually caused from a stroke or physical trauma to the brain
• The prevention of Hemispatial Neglect is based on mitigating the underlying risk for stroke, sports injury or accidents, and tumors that involve the brain

What is the Prognosis of Hemispatial Neglect? (Outcomes/Resolutions)

• Hemispatial Neglect affects all patients differently and is variable in time it takes for patients to show improvement
• Patients can have a variety of outcomes from loss of cognitive senses to full improvement and recovery

According to some research, for those who did show improvement, an approximate time period of 18 months was reported.

Additional and Relevant Useful Information for Hemispatial Neglect:

The following DoveMed link is a useful resource for brain stroke:

https://www.dovemed.com/diseases-conditions/brain-stroke/