Using a computer to uncover asymmetric spatial awareness
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1
Ghent University, Belgium
Computer-based tasks allow to study the impact of brain damage on cognitive processes better than classic paper-and-pencil tests. We present an overview of the clinical potential of computer-based tasks in measuring spatial awareness, which is mostly symmetric in healthy participants but can become severely asymmetric after a brain lesion (hemispatial neglect). Patients with very severe neglect can completely ignore the contralesional side of space. Most of them, however, present a subtle form of the deficit. Across a number of neuropsychological cases (Bonato et al., 2013) a new computer-based dual-tasking approach (report lateralized target position + additional, visual or auditory, features; see Figure) has been tested as more a sensitive option to determine presence and severity of deficits in perceiving contralesional space. Mounting evidence (Bonato & Deouell, 2013) suggest that computer-based stimuli presentation is the most suitable method to asses, in a fast and reliable way, spatial awareness in chronic stroke (Bonato, 2015). This approach can be easily coupled with advanced lesion mapping/tractography (see Figure). Evidence from Event Related Potentials on healthy participants performing this task (Bonato et al., 2015) revealed a very early suppression of visual areas, regardless of the visual or auditory nature of the dual-tasking, closely resembling patients’ behavioral performance.
Acknowledgements
FP7 Marie Curie IEF Fellowship
References
Bonato M., Spironelli C., Lisi M., Priftis K., & Zorzi M. (2015). Effects of multimodal load on spatial monitoring as revealed by ERPs. PlosONE DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0136719.
Bonato M. (2015). Unveiling residual, spontaneous recovery from subtle hemispatial neglect three years after stroke. Front Hum Neurosci 9:413. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00413.
Bonato M., Priftis, K., Umiltà C. & Zorzi, M. (2013). Computer-based attention-demanding testing unveils severe neglect in apparently intact patients. Behav Neurol 26, 179-181. doi: 10.3233/BEN-2012-129005.
Bonato, M., & Deouell, L. (2013). Hemispatial neglect: Computer-based testing allows more sensitive quantification of attentional disorders and recovery and might lead to better evaluation of rehabilitation. Front Hum Neurosci 7:162. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00162
Keywords:
spatial attention,
Awareness,
neglect,
Dual tasking,
Stroke,
computer-based assessment,
computer-based neuropsychological testing
Conference:
Second Belgian Neuroinformatics Congress, Leuven, Belgium, 4 Dec - 4 Dec, 2015.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Methods and Modeling
Citation:
Bonato
M
(2015). Using a computer to uncover asymmetric spatial awareness.
Front. Neuroinform.
Conference Abstract:
Second Belgian Neuroinformatics Congress.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fninf.2015.19.00023
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Received:
13 Nov 2015;
Published Online:
17 Nov 2015.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Mario Bonato, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, mario.bonato@unipd.it