1. Neglect By the end of this lecture you will have learned:
More neglect phenomena
Outlines of some theoretical accounts of neglect
That no theory currently accounts for all neglect phenomena
That neglect phenomena are informing models of how the brain encodes space.
Essential reading:
Parkin, Ch 5
Additional reading:
Bradshaw JL & Mattingley JB (1995) Clinical neuropsychology. Behavioral and brain science. Ch 6
Vallar, G. (1998) Spatial hemineglect in humans. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2, 87-97
Given the time constraints you will be getting an overview of neglect theories - can’t possibly go into all of them in detail, and even to go into one in detail would mean ignoring others.
E.g. what is the neural substrate for orienting attention, in what reference frames does attention operate, how does the brain encode spatial information?
I will not be answering the essay question in this lecture - I am giving you a general overview, highlighting the problems faced by all theoretical accounts, by illustrating a few of them. You could just as easily write an essay on two accounts which I will not mention at all. E.g (Humphrey’s & Riddoch, 1993 and Rizzolati et al, 1993).

2. Neglect - early theories
Focused on the sensory / motoric features of neglect
E.g. neglect is consequence of visual field deficit (in addition to a generalised loss of info processing ability)
Clearly not the case in representational or tactile neglect
Also can’t explain implicit processing
Is the deficit primarily motoric? Evidence against
Walker et al (1991):
Simple target detection paradigm with 3 conditions:
Overlap: Target and fixation point overlap
0 Gap: Fixation offset with target onset
100 Gap: Target onset 100 ms after fixation offset
Interestingly - some of the earliest mentions of neglect phenomena - Pick, 1898; Zingerle, concentrate on concepts such as consciousness and mental representation as their level of analysis.
Talk of “body schemes” and “scheme for external space”.
Also can’t explain some of the associated phenomena such as anosognosia

3. (Fixation point remains during target presentation)
Overlap condition 8 5
(Fixation point remains during target presentation)

4. (Fixation disappears simultaneously with target presentation)
0 ms gap condition 8 5
(Fixation disappears simultaneously with target presentation)

5. (Fixation disappears 100ms before target presentation)
100 ms gap condition 8 5
(Fixation disappears 100ms before target presentation)

6. Walker et al PREDICTIONS:
If neglect is due to a sensory / motor deficit, target detection in neglected field should be equally poor in each condition.
E.g. no reason why a “central” manipulation should effect target detection in neglected field.
In fact, performance was far better in the 100ms gap condition (see Posner’s attentional hypothesis for explanation)

7. Theoretical Approaches
A distinction is commonly made between attentional and representational models of neglect
Attentional models:
Deficits in mechanisms involved in maintaining arousal or vigilance and in controlling orientation toward, and selection of, stimuli as targets to be elaborated for further processing.
(Kinsbourne, 1987; Humphreys & Riddoch, 1993; Posner, 1988; Heilman)
Representational models:
Deficits in mechanisms involved in reconstructing an internal map of space, based either on sensory or “internally derived” information
(Bisiach, 1993; Rizzolatti & Berti, 1990)

8. Neglect - attentional theories
The very term ‘neglect’ implies an attentional involvement
Effects of cueing in line bisection provides supportive evidence.
There are many other examples of neglect being ameliorated by cueing patients to attend to the neglected side
BUT - attention is not a unitary construct
Often difficult to establish exactly what is meant by attentional involvement
Strongest theories based on reasonably well articulated models of normal attentional functioning
Line bisection performance can be improved simply by drawing subjects attention to the left end of the line - most commonly done by asking them to name a number placed there.

9. Neglect - Kinsbourne’s model
Orientational bias model - hemispheric rivalry model -“vectorial model”. One of the oldest models.
Attention controlled by “paired opponent processesors” controlled by R + L hemispheres
Each processor directs attention (controls an orienting response) to contralateral space
In neglect the “disinhibited” left processor is in control, biasing attention to the right side of space
In normal people these two processors are in equilibrium via reciprocal inhibition
Other attentional models predict that right hemisphere attention is normal.
Predictions:
There is an attentional gradient
Attention is exaggerated towards the right e.g. an ipsilesional bias, not just a contralesional impairment

10. Neglect - Kinsbourne’s model
There is some evidence for attentional gradients
Smania et al (1998)
RTs to detect targets presented at different eccentricities:
Triangles = contralesional Circles = Ipsilesional
Slower the further left
Faster the further right
Kinsbourne (1993) gives other examples.
Kinsbourne -assumes that in healthy righthanders the LH processor prevails over the RH. EG in normal controls there should be a slight rightwards bias in attention - this has been found
But note that it is not exactly linear.

11. Neglect - Kinsbourne’s model
Can explain representational neglect because processors assumed to be active in exploration of external and internal space.
Can also explain why left side of objects, or left of two objects is neglected, even if in right hemispace
Problems -
not all unilateral lesions produce neglect
Not all patients have attentional gradients
Can’t explain object centred neglect
Kinsbourne - one explanation for lack of right neglect following left hemisphere damage:
K assumes that in healthy righthanders the LH processor prevails over the RH. EG in normal controls there should be a slight rightwards bias in attention - this has been found.
When the RH is damaged, the strong LH processor results in an attentional bias to the right. When the strong LH is damaged, the weak RH processes do not produce much of a leftwards attentional bias.
Interesting prediction - neglect should be cured if a second lesion occurs in other hemisphere - this has been reported.
Heilman - Right hemisphere directs spatial attention to left and right, left hemisphere only directs attention to the right.
Problem with Heilmans & Mesulams models are that they do not really address the object centred problems.
Not clear why right neglect should be so rare.
Heilman (1995) and Mesulam (1998) assume RH controls attention to L&R space, LH only controls attention to R space.

12. Neglect - Posner’s model
Shifting attention involves:
Disengaging
Shifting
Re-engaging
Evidence from patients with neglect, PSP and pulvinar lesions provide some support for this model
Core deficit in neglect is difficulty in disengaging attention from an ipsilesional stimulus
Pulvinar is a nucleus in the hypothalamus.

13. Posner’s paradigm

14. Posner’s paradigm

15. Posner’s paradigm

16. • Posner’s paradigm Cue is a valid predictor on 80% of trials
Delay between cue and target can be varied

17. Neglect - Posner’s model
Neglect patients miss catch trials, or are delayed in responding because cannot disengage attention from cue

18. Neglect - Posner’s model
Walker et al results also explained by this model -
performance is best when attention does not have to disengage (e.g. in gap condition)
Mark et al (1988): Neglect patients perform better in a cancellation task if they were allowed to erase the lines rather than cross them.
E.g. attention no longer had to be disengaged from stimuli on right in erase vs cross condition.
Problems - in dark, neglect patients search mainly on their non-neglected side - not predicted if no stimuli are present to capture attention.

19. Neglect - Limiting theories of attention
If it assumed that there is no attention (or severely impaired attention) on the neglected side, then data from neglect patients can be used to inform theories of attention
1. Does object segmentation occur pre-attentively?
Triesman - Feature Integration Theory:
Preattentive: Simple features registered in parallel
Attentive: Objects formed by combining features
Prediction: Objects are not segmented in neglected field
BUT - Demonstrations of object based neglect argue against this.

20. Neglect - Limiting theories of attention
1. Does object segmentation occur pre-attentively?
Driver et al (1997): Extinction
Patients report seeing only circle on right
Patients report seeing a “barbell”
E.g. attentional system capable of object segmentation

21. Neglect - Limiting theories of attention
2. Early vs Late selection:
Can unattended information be processed semantically?
Berti & Rizzolatti (1992):Speeded Animal / Vegetable decision task for object in right hemifield
IN other words, categorisation of object in Right Hemifield was effected by the drawing on the left. Semantic information must be involved.
Favours a late selection view
RTs for correct categorisation of right object:
Identical: 777ms Same Category: 795ms Different Category: 890

22. Neglect - Limiting theories of attention
3. What is the object of attention?
Does attention operate on the basis of locations in space or objects?
Neglect phenomena highlight the variety of reference frames in which attention appears to operate
Also, dissociations have been observed for neglect in personal, peripersonal and extrapersonal reference frames:
Halligan & Marshall (1991):
Severe neglect in peripersonal space (e.g. conventional line bisection)
Little or no neglect in extrapersonal space (pointing a light, throwing a dart)
Cowey et al, 1994: extrapersonal neglect only
Guariglia & Antonucci, 1992: Personal neglect only
Personal - space occupied by body
Peripersonal - space within reaching distance
Extrapersonal - within pointing or throwing distance

23. Neglect - Limiting theories of attention
3. What is the object of attention?
See previous lecture for evidence that attention can also be object based.
Object centred neglect: In an object centred frame of reference, the objects parts are computed in relation to its structure
Patient NG (see previous lecture) has object centred neglect
Tipper & Behrmann, 1996:Target detection task -error rate
Static condition:
Left: 75%
Right 25%
Rotate condition:
Left: 10%
Right 65%

24. Neglect - representational theories
E.g Piazza del Duomo effect
Assume a construct such as Baddeley’s VSS - a “screen on which spatial information may be represented”
In neglect part of screen (e.g. left) is dysfunctional
“There are circumscribed brain areas where lesions would result in a representational loss limited to definite regions of (egocentric) space” Bisiach et al, “representational scotoma”
Attention is not allocated to objects, but to representations of objects provided by the perceptual system
Attentional theories disregard this step.

25. Neglect - Bisiach’s model
Many other examples of representational neglect
Problems - Not clear how well this model accomodates object centred neglect - although objects are clearly “represented” at some level
Also some patients demonstrate “visual” but not representational neglect - Brain, 1941
Bisiach concedes “representational scotoma” analogy may have been overkill… (Bisiach, 1993). Also lists other problems and potential answers.
Posner data also difficult to accommodate.
Rizzolatti’s model is also representational - attentional deficits are secondary
Brain described a patient who could perfectly well describe the route from ward to toilet, but could not actually nagivate it (kept turning right).

26. Neglect - transformational theories
Suggest that processes which translate sensory input into motor output are impaired
Problems:
- not all patients show no displacement of the subjective straight ahead
- Only address ego-centric neglect (not allocentric or object centred)

27. Neglect - adequacy of explanations
“...few current ‘explanations’ of ‘neglect’ are anything more than a description of the phenomena phrased in terms that insinuate understanding without actually delivering… to say that neglect is a ‘representational’ disorder is to describe, not explain, the fact that some patients show the Piazza del Duomo effect…”
Marshall et al, 1993
The term “neglect” should be treated by CNs in the same way as “apahsia” is - e.g. it does not exist as an “entity” -
It is a useful shorthand for conveying a range of perceptual, attentional, intentional and representational problems in dealing with left space - all of which may have different underlying causes.

28. Neglect Attentional and representational models of neglect
are not necessarily mutually exclusive
“…such evidence widens the scope of the interpretations that can be given of these disorders in terms of attention to such an extent as to make attentional explanations logically indistinguishable from representational explanations.” Bisiach, 1994
“Attentional networks are important in the creation and scanning of a visual image just as they must work with object recognition in actual perception”
Posner, 1993
“A rivalry is often claimed or tacitly understood to exist between explanations based on either of these concepts. I think this is a mistake
However, Bisiach et al stronly resist any attempt to reframe their theory in attentional terms - “attention is not a process acting on a representation”

29. Neglect - The neural coding of space
The beginnings of a resolution?
Recently investigators have begun to relate neglect to the neural coding of space (e.g. Pouget & Driver, 2000; Pouget & Sejnowski, 2001)
Neurons in monkey parietal cortex have retinotopic receptive fields which can be modulated by non-retinotopic information (e.g. posture, eye position - possibly attention?)
So eye position modulates the gain (amplitude) of the cells response.
Note that the information is falling on exactly the same part of the retina - not an effect of eye position in that sense.
Head position also has same effect - maybe attention could too.

30. Neglect - The neural coding of space
Animal work suggests that the same parietal neurons involved in encoding representations of objects are also involved in directing attention. (e.g Colby & Goldberg, 1999)
E.g. representational vs attentional debate is not really relevant.
In addition, many neurons in the parietal lobule are involved in multisensory integration (e.g. cells exist with congruent receptive fields for stimuli in different modalities)
So can explain some of the cross modal effects in neglect (e.g cross modal extinction)
This model incorporates many of the ideas in the attentional models - eg gradients.
Also includes model of a selection process, although not necessary - could just be selected on basis of function fields - e.g. spatial representation and attentional selection are the same thing.

31. Neglect - Computational Models
Pouget & Sejnowski (2001):
Neurons in parietal cortex represent space using “basis functions”
Given eye position and retinal position, basis functions allown an objects position can be transformed into other reference frames (e.g. head centered).
This allows objects to be encoded in multiple frames of reference simultaneously
Computational model developed entirely on the basis of computational principles and neurophysiological data.
NP data can be used as an independent test of the model
Model “lesioned” by deleting right basis function maps
Appears to account well for most neuropsychological data
Also includes model of a selection process, although not necessary - could just be selected on basis of function fields - e.g. spatial representation and attentional selection are the same thing.

32. Neglect - Difficult data
Halligan & Marshall (1991)
Many neglect patients do not have a problem with marking the centre of a sqaure

33. Neglect - Outstanding questions
Given the many different codes in which space is represented neurally, why is the human phenomonological experience of space unitary?
What is role of ST / LT memory in neglect
To what extent is the neglected information “recreated”
What strategies are most effective for rehabilitation? Robertson - general attentional problems (reduced capacity) in addition to neglect.

34. Neglect - Conclusions
Given the range of phenomena regarded as manifestations of “neglect” it is unlikely any unitary theory will ever provide an adequate explanation
Advances in cognitive neuropsychology tend to reflect the introduction of a detailed model of normal performance
There are no detailed models of “spatial cognition”
Recent research has concentrated less asking “what is neglect?” and more on asking “what can data from brain damaged individuals tell us about how the brain encodes spatial information?”.
Data from neuroscience and computational modelling may provide a way forward