When Connectedness Increases Hemispatial Neglect
2011

The Impact of Connectedness on Hemispatial Neglect

Sample size: 10 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Tian Yanghua, Huang Yan, Zhou Ke, Humphreys Glyn W., Riddoch M. Jane, Wang Kai

Primary Institution: Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Anhui Medical University

Hypothesis

Does connectedness influence the perception of chimeric figures in patients with hemispatial neglect?

Conclusion

Connectedness negatively affects the ability of neglect patients to identify the left side of chimeric figures.

Supporting Evidence

  • Patients performed better when chimeric halves were separated by a gap.
  • Connectedness led to a decrease in performance for identifying the left side of chimeric figures.
  • The study included both simple and complex stimuli to assess the effects of connectedness.

Takeaway

When two halves of a picture are connected, people with certain brain injuries have a harder time seeing one side, but if there's a gap, they can see it better.

Methodology

Two experiments were conducted manipulating connectedness in chimeric figures to assess performance in patients with left unilateral neglect.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from the small sample size and the specific patient demographics.

Limitations

The study only included a small sample size of patients with left unilateral neglect.

Participant Demographics

10 patients (9 males, 1 female) with left unilateral neglect, all right-handed.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.007

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0024760

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