Neural plasticity and hemispatial neglect in stroke

Abstract

The ability to outline the world and our place in it characterises our humanity. Stroke or brain injury can alter this world-making capability temporarily or permanently. The stroke patient's world, once intelligible and practicable, is transformed into a confusing, unapproachable and hostile environment. The skills of intellect, sensation, awareness and movement, which are honed over the course of a lifetime and which so characterise our humanity are the very abilities most compromised by stroke. Stroke can rob people of the most basic way of interacting with the world. We will outline what is neglect and its mechanism in brain plasticity.