Trial Status: Open
Aim: to address the challenge of assessing unilateral spatial neglect (USN), a neurological condition often observed in stroke survivors.
Background: USN can significantly impact a patient’s rehabilitation outcome and daily functioning, yet there is no universally accepted screening method, leading to potential misdiagnosis and poor rehabilitation planning. To address this gap, the research explores the use of computer-based assessments to detect and measure the severity of USN symptoms. This method has been demonstrated to identify subtle cases often overlooked by traditional methods.
Procedure: The study will involve recruiting inpatient and outpatient adult stroke survivors who can use one hand and interact with a computer. Inpatient study sessions will be conducted at the hospital, while outpatient sessions will take place at the university or the participant’s home, depending on their preference. The study procedures will include performing a battery of computer-based tasks designed to evaluate their visuo-spatial attention. These tasks have been chosen based on their previously determined sensitivity and/or diagnostic accuracy and have been shown to outperform traditional pen-and-paper tests. Our aim is to assess the performance of stroke survivors on these computer-based tasks and compare this with conventional assessment methods. Quantitative data, such as response times and accuracy in task performance, will be collected to examine how well these computer based assessments can detect USN symptoms and classify patients according to the severity of their condition. The study will also collect qualitative data through feedback questionnaires to understand participants’ preferences and perspectives on the different assessment methods. Overall, this research aims to determine which computer-based tasks are most effective in identifying visual attention deficits in stroke survivors. It also seeks to assess the feasibility and acceptability of computer-based tasks compared to traditional pen-and-paper methods. By addressing these questions, the study intends to provide valuable insights into improving the diagnosis and management of USN in stroke survivors, ultimately enhancing their quality of life and rehabilitation outcomes.