Right-sided neglect in a left-hander: evidence for reversed hemispheric specialization of attention capacity

Neuropsychologia. 1989;27(5):729-35. doi: 10.1016/0028-3932(89)90118-8.

Abstract

Severe hemi-spatial neglect, anosognosia, contralateral hypokinesia, aprosodia, and visual-spatial constructive difficulties--typically seen in right-handers with right hemisphere lesions--were observed in a left-handed patient with an acute left frontal cortical and subcortical infarct. There was no evidence of accompanying aphasia and the neglect syndrome gradually resolved over a 2-week period. The assumption by the left hemisphere of a classic right hemisphere attention, visuo-spatial and prosodic superiority may represent a case of reversed hemispheric specialization.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Arousal / physiology*
  • Attention / physiology*
  • Cerebral Infarction / physiopathology*
  • Dominance, Cerebral / physiology*
  • Female
  • Frontal Lobe / physiopathology
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Hemiplegia / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Orientation / physiology
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology