Disorders of attention

Question 1

Stroke

Answer 1

Often due to blood cloth in the middle cerebral artery. This provides blood support to large part of the temporal parietal regions

temporal-parietal junction region is always effected.
- The earlier the stroke the larger the problem
- At the end (TPJR) gives very specific attention problems

Question 2

Lesion locations

Answer 2

Mostly in the right hemisphere

Often co-occur w lesions in primary sensory/motor areas

Typical site: temporo-parietal junction

Causes neglect/extinction

Question 3

Neglect

Answer 3

No percept of contralateral stimuli
ignoring contralateral stimuli
Slower reaction to it
less eye/body movements to that part

Allesthesia: perceiving stimuli at incorrect location

Question 4

Extinction

Answer 4

Typically the end state of neglect. Less severe, and only show dominance for right side (wins when there’s competition

Question 5

Tests for neglect/extinction

Answer 5

confrontation method (finger test)

Line cancellation (cross out lines)

Line bisection (stripe in the middle)

Copying a drawing

Question 6

Object based neglect

Answer 6

World to the left does exist, but left side of objects doesn’t exist.

Eg they copy both stimuli on left and right frame, but skip the left side of the object.

Question 7

Balint syndrome

Answer 7

rare but intense, lesion to both sides

Gaze paralysis is a typical symptom (little eye movement)

Simultanagnosia: not able to see more than 1 object at once