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Improvement of hemispatial neglect with cold-water calorics: An electrophysiological test of the arousal hypothesis of neglect

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 1997

H.J. STORRIE-BAKER ,
S.J. SEGALOWITZ ,
S.E. BLACK ,
J.A.G. McLEAN  and
N. SULLIVAN
H.J. STORRIE-BAKER
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, West Park Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
S.J. SEGALOWITZ
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
S.E. BLACK
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
J.A.G. McLEAN
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
N. SULLIVAN
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract

Introducing ice-water into the left ear of right-brain-damaged patients attenuates unilateral neglect symptoms. By examining EEG changes over each hemisphere during this procedure, we were able to test a hypothesis concerning the mechanism of cold-water calorics and the attention–arousal hypothesis of hemispatial neglect. We present a case study of an 83-year-old woman with a massive right-hemisphere CVA exhibiting severe hemispatial neglect. Caloric stimulation produced a leftward eye deviation to central position, and a temporary partial remission of neglect symptoms. Significant changes in EEG activation indicated a central mechanism associated with the regularization of eye gaze. Caloric stimulation also produced a significant interaction between EEG frequency band and hemisphere, indicating that while both hemispheres increased in cortical activation, the right hemisphere increase was significantly greater. This supports the activation–arousal hypothesis of neglect over the mutual inhibition model. (JINS, 1997, 3, 394–402.)

Keywords

Hemispatial neglectCaloric stimulationEEGStroke
Type
CASE STUDY
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 3 , Issue 4 , July 1997 , pp. 394 - 402
Copyright
© 1997 The International Neuropsychological Society

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