Hemineglect
From Psy3242
Contents |
Hemineglect:
Cause
Hemineglect is a behavioral syndrome in which there has been damage to the parietal lobe. It is also commonly referred to as hemispatial neglect or spatial neglect. The amount of dysfunction shown is dependent on the extent of damage to the parietal lobe. The damage to the parietal lobe is caused most often by a stroke.
Hemispatial neglect
Hemispatial neglect is a loss of awareness of half of the world (usually the left half). Patients ignore objects to one side and sometimes parts of their boyd on that side. Patients only seem to pay attention to only half of an object in front of them.
Hemineglect
Although the damage can happen to either the left or right side, the effects are far greater when the left side of the individual is damaged (indicating right parietal lobe damage). The effects of the right parietal lobe are greater due to the fact is governs the control over the left parietal lobe and itself. Left side parietal damage forms a more manageable version of Hemineglect, due to the fact the right parietal lobe will still be able to govern over both sides.
Symptoms
Someone with Hemineglect is not able to pay any attention to half of their visual field. However there are reported cases of Hemineglect which individuals have different spatial referents such as left/right foreground or distance.
Cases range from individuals not caring about the ½ of the visual field missing, to the extreme of the absolute denial of ½ of their own body.
Examples
When an individual with hemineglect is drawing a clock, half of the clock will be very dysfunctional if apparent at all. See the attached picture for an example.
Although it seems as though these individuals are impaired, the non-damaged side is working just as any other normal person. It is the damaged side which is causing the problems.
Hemineglect can also be commonly referred to as hemispatial neglect or spatial neglect.
