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Deafferentation–disconnection neglect induced by posterior cerebral artery infarction

From the Department of Neurology (K.C.P., S.S.Y.), Kyung Hee University, School of Medicine, and Department of Neurology (B.H.L., E.J.K., K.M.C., C.S.C., K.H.L., D.L.N.) and Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center (K.H.L.), Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, and Department of Social and Preventive Medicine (M.H.S.), Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, and Department of Neurology (S.U.K.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea; and Department of Neurology (K.M.H.), University of Florida College of Medicine, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Na, Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Ilwon-dong, Kangnam-ku, Seoul, 135-710, Korea; e-mail: dukna{at}smc.samsung.co.kr

Objective: To investigate patients with posterior cerebral artery (PCA) infarctions to learn whether hemispatial neglect is more frequent and severe after right than left PCA infarction; whether visual field defects (VFDs) influence the presence or severity of hemispatial neglect; and the anatomic loci of lesions that are associated with hemispatial neglect.

Methods: The authors recruited 45 patients with PCA infarction that involved only the occipital lobe or the occipital lobe plus other areas served by the PCA. All subjects received seven neglect tests within 2 months after onset.

Results: Overall, the frequency of hemispatial neglect was 42.2%. The frequency did not significantly differ between the right (48.0%) and left (35.0%) PCA groups, but the severity of hemispatial neglect was significantly greater in the right group. VFD alone did not influence the frequency or severity of neglect after controlling other variables. Isolated occipital lesions were rarely associated with hemispatial neglect, and it was only the occipital plus splenial lesion that significantly influenced the frequency and severity of neglect.

Conclusions: This study suggests that after excluding such confounding factors as aphasia or hemiplegia, neglect frequency does not differ between the right and left posterior cerebral artery (PCA) groups, but the severity of neglect is greater after right PCA infarctions; even in the acute stage of PCA infarction; visual field defect from an isolated occipital lesion does not cause hemispatial neglect; and the injury to both the occipital lobe and the splenium of the corpus callosum is important for producing hemispatial neglect with PCA infarction.

Additional material related to this article can be found on the Neurology Web site. Go to www.neurology.org and scroll down the Table of Contents for the January 10 issue to find the title link for this article.

Supported by a grant of the Korea Health 21 R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (A050079).

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Received April 29, 2005. Accepted in final form September 23, 2005.