Prism intervention helped sustainability of effects and ADL performances in chronic hemispatial neglect: a follow-up study

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the sustainability of effect and the changes in basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL and IADL) after long-term prism intervention, we carried out a follow-up assessment on five subjects with hemispatial neglect in the chronic stage.

Method: At 2-3.5 years after the end of prism intervention, we measured six parameters: 1) eye movement of the neglect side when watching three different video clips, 2) center of gravity as an index of subjective internal midline bias, 3) star and letter cancellation tests, 4) the line bisection test, and ADL scales: 5) Barthel Index and 6) Lawton's IADL scale. In addition, we interviewed and observed the subjects' present ADL performance at home.

Results: The eye movement on the neglect side significantly increased compared with that before intervention. The center of gravity was shifted significantly to the left side and forward. The improvement in cancellation and line bisection tests was also observed. All subjects showed improvement in ADL performance. Two of the subjects could return to work after intervention.

Conclusion: The results suggested that long-term prism intervention might effectively exert long-lasting effects and bring benefits to ADL performance for subjects with hemispatial neglect.