Left hemispatial neglect is often assessed using visual and behavioral tests. Here are some of the main tests used to diagnose and evaluate the severity of neglect.
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1. Line Bisection Test
Method:
A horizontal line is drawn, and the patient is asked to mark its midpoint.
If neglect is present, the patient will mark the midpoint closer to the right side.
Evaluation:
✅ Quick and easy to administer, but may not detect mild neglect.
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2. Cancellation Tests
Method:
The patient is given a sheet with scattered targets (e.g., stars, lines, or letters) and asked to cross out all targets.
Those with neglect tend to cancel only targets on the right side, ignoring the left side.
Types:
Letter Cancellation Test
Star Cancellation Test
Line Cancellation Test
Evaluation:
✅ Useful for detecting mild neglect, though results may be influenced by attention and motivation.
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3. Clock Drawing Test
Method:
The patient is asked to draw a clock face and set the hands to 10:10.
Patients with left neglect may omit numbers on the left side or crowd them on the right.
Evaluation:
✅ Helpful in assessing visuospatial abilities and is commonly used for dementia screening as well.
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4. Copying Task
Method:
The patient is asked to copy simple figures (e.g., a star, flower, house, or cube).
Those with neglect tend to omit or distort the left side of the drawing.
Evaluation:
✅ Provides a clear visual representation of neglect severity.
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5. Visual Search Task
Method:
The patient is shown an image or a sheet of paper and asked to find a specific target (e.g., a letter or shape).
Patients with neglect can easily locate targets on the right side but struggle to find those on the left.
Evaluation:
✅ Useful for assessing attention and search abilities.
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6. Reading and Writing Tasks
Method:
The patient is asked to read a passage or write a sentence.
Those with neglect may skip words or letters on the left side or write in a rightward-biased manner.
Evaluation:
✅ Language-related factors should be considered when interpreting results.
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7. Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT)
Method:
Paper-based tasks (e.g., line bisection, cancellation, clock drawing)
Real-life activities (e.g., eating, picking up a phone, walking in a hallway)
Evaluation:
✅ A standardized test that assesses functional impact in daily life.
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Summary of Tests
A combination of these tests is used to diagnose and evaluate the severity of left hemispatial neglect.