Broad-perspective perceptual disorder of the right hemisphere

    Authors

    L. E. Schutz

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Neuropsychol. Rev.

    Keywords

    brain injury prognosis; right hemisphere; right parietal syndrome; posterior association cortex; hemispheric specialization; anosagnosia; aprosodia; nonverbal learning disability; UNILATERAL SPATIAL NEGLECT; BRAIN-DAMAGED PATIENTS; STROKE PATIENTS; VISUAL NEGLECT; INPATIENT REHABILITATION; LEARNING-DISABILITIES; VISUOSPATIAL NEGLECT; DIRECTED ATTENTION; ASSOCIATION CORTEX; MEMORY; RETRIEVAL; Psychology, Clinical; Neurosciences

    Abstract

    Traditional accounts of right-posterior brain injury describe a syndrome of low-level perceptual sequelae producing marked acute dependency and transient safety concerns. The syndrome is also held to spare cognition and to carry a generally favorable long-term prognosis. The present paper reviews publications and anecdotal data that challenge this picture. Recent theoretical expositions and empirical studies stipulate three major cognitive functions of the right posterior association cortex: processing novel input, guiding reactions to emergencies, and anticipating consequences. Appearing benign after acute recovery, the impairment of these processes produces vocational, social and marital dysfunctions that increase as a function of chronicity, ultimately becoming more broadly disabling than focal injuries in other cortical loci. The unique symptom picture and serious implications suggest that the long-term syndrome should be labeled (Broad-Perspective Perceptual Disorder) and incorporated in future clinical taxonomies, underscoring the need for extraordinary long-term assistance and specialized therapeutics. Procedures for assessment and differential diagnosis are outlined.

    Journal Title

    Neuropsychology Review

    Volume

    15

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2005

    Document Type

    Review

    Language

    English

    First Page

    11

    Last Page

    27

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000228673500002

    ISSN

    1040-7308

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