Affiliations: [a] Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Institute of Medical Psychology, Magdeburg, Germany | [b] Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Psychology, Berlin, Germany | [c] University of Lübeck, Medical Faculty, Medical Psychology, Lübeck, Germany | [d] Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Educational Science and Psychology, General Psychology and Neuropsychology, Berlin, Germany
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Carolin Gall, University of Magdeburg, Institute of Medical Psychology, Leipzigerstr. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany. Tel.: +49 391 6721807; Fax: +49 391 6721803; E-mail: carolin.gall@med.ovgu.de.
Note: [1] These authors made equal contributions to the manuscript.
Abstract: Background:The relationship of spatially specific and non-lateralised attentional deficits to perceptual and premotor neglect was explored in 25 patients with chronic neglect. The association between severity of neglect and attention deficits was also studied. Methods:Alertness, selective attention and exploration performance were assessed using a battery of computerised and paper-pencil tests. Results:Perceptual and premotor neglect groups differed in the manifestation of attention deficits in the contralesional and ipsilesional hemispace. Differences in the performance time and accuracy were observed to be a function of neglect severity. Conclusion:Paper-pencil tests were more sensitive to assess attention deficits in patients with different neglect types and severities of neglect than computerised tests. Therefore, diagnostic evaluation should include both paper-pencil and computerised assessments in order to identify spatially specific as well as non-lateralised attentional deficits.
