Body neglect in stroke patients is a neuropsychological condition that occurs due to damage in one hemisphere of the brain. Body neglect occurs when there is a ...Bodyneglectinstrokerecoverycanbechallengingforrehabprofessionalstoaddress.Belowaresuggestionstofacilitatepatientawarenessoftheaffectedside.Bodyneglectinstrokepatientsisaneuropsychologicalconditionthatoccursduetodamageinonehemisphereofthebrain.Bodyneglectoccurswhenthereisa deficitinattentionorawarenesstoonesideofthefieldofvisionortotheaffectedlimb.Bodyneglectinstrokerecoverycanalsobereferredtoas:Hemispatial neglect(hemiagnosia)HemineglectUnilateral neglectSpatial neglectContralateral neglectUnilateralvisualinattentionHemi-inattentionNeglectsyndromeContralateralhemispatialagnosiaSignsandSymptomsofBodyNeglectThesignsandsymptomsofbodyneglectinstrokepatientscanvary,butprimarilyoccurswhenpatientsfailtoreport,respond,ororienttomeaningfulstimulipresentedontheaffectedside.Examplesofbodyneglectinastrokesurvivorinclude:leavingfoodonhalfoftheirdinnerplatebumpingintothewalloradoorwiththeaffectedsideavoidingturningtolookatyouwhenyouarespeakingorfailingtorecallauditoryinformationpresentedontheaffectedsideafterdistractionshavingorgroomingunaffectedsideonlyforgettingtocovertheiraffectedarminashirtsleeveignoringobjectsplacedontheaffectedsideoftheirbodyStrokepatientsmayalsoexperienceanosognosia,alackofawarenessortheunderestimationofaspecificdeficitinsensory,perceptual,motor,affectiveorcognitivefunctioning.IncidenceRateofBodyNeglectinStrokePatientsTheincidencerateforunilateralspatialneglectfollowingstrokeintheU.S.isupwardsof80%inright-sided stroke patients.Right-sidedunilateralneglectresultingfromlefthemispheredamageisfound(atleasttosomedegree)inabout44%ofstrokepatients.Researchdemonstratesthatimprovementinupperextremitystrengthisassociatedwithseverityofneglect.Moreover,visuospatialneglectisalsoassociatedwithpoormotorrecovery,higherdisability,andpoorresponsestorehabilitationservices.HowtoAvoidBodyNeglectBodyneglectafterstroke