Anosognosia and extrapersonal neglect as predictors of functional recovery following right hemisphere stroke

Abstract

Among the neuropsychological disorders frequently associated with hemiplegia from stroke, neglect is considered to be responsible for the poor motor and functional recovery of left hemiplegics. Within the syndrome of Unilateral Spatial Neglect, we studied the role played by extrapersonal neglect, personal neglect, and anosognosia on recovery from left hemiplegia. Our follow-up study, conducted on left hemiplegic patients with or without neuropsychological disturbances, shows that the presence of anosognosia is the worst prognostic factor for the motor and functional recovery from left hemiplegia due to stroke and that patients with extrapersonal neglect only have the same prognosis as patients without neuropsychological disorders.