The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

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ArticleTitle	Controversies of Neuropsychology: unilateral spatial neglect
Language	J
AuthorList	Katsuhiko Takeda
Affiliation	Department of Neurology, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center
Publication	Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 16 (3), 158-163, 2000
Received
Accepted
Abstract	In this review, at first I discuss "reference frames and objects based neglect". The computational literatures suggest that several different frames relative to which the location of objects is specified may be required for proper visual function. Many previous investigations have addressed the spatial coordinates in which neglect can arise. With an upright patient who is facing and looking forwards, several coordinates are aligned. Using various manipulations, evidence has been found for retinotopic, body-centered coordinates to neglect. More recently it has been suggested that visual neglect can also arise in object-centered coordinates. Secondly I discuss "motor role in the neglect patients". In one report, the patients with right inferior parietal lobule lesions have a specific difficulty in the initiating leftward movements towards visual targets on the left side of space. This result suggests that the right inferior parietal lobule operate as a sensorimotor interface rather than subserving only perceptual functions. Finally I discussed "information processing in the neglected field". Recently findings have demonstrated processing of information in the neglected field to a remarkably high level. Studies measuring semantic priming have shown that not only is the identity of neglected items processed, but semantically related items are activated as well. These findings show that perceptual processing is intact to a level permitting classification of the item.
Keywords	unilateral spatial neglect, reference frames, motor role, information processing in neglected field