Hemispatial neglect is a condition where you essentially ignore half of the world. Those who suffer from this may only eat half the food on their plate despite still being hungry. They may only draw half a picture and not realize that it is not complete. This syndrome is a result from damage to the brain, mostly from strokes. About 48% of patients with right hemisphere strokes showed symptoms of neglect. In the article it is not specifically stated why the patient does this. There is not a problem with their sight, but how their brain is processing what their eyes are seeing. People who have this condition typically show motor weakness and cognitive deficits as well.
Hemispatial neglect is such an interesting topic. It reminds me of how some patients with neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's tend to only complete half of a clock drawing task or another task. As you mentioned, about 48% of patients with right hemisphere strokes showed symptoms of neglect. While this isn't the majority, it still is a very large amount of people who are unable to complete the task at hand. The way the brain processes what is going on is incredibly mind-blowing. Great post!
ReplyDeleteAvery, this is a great and complicated topic to study. The whole idea is very interesting and compelling as it is, but also upsetting. Thank you for the extra knowledge in this discussion!
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