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hemineglect
Pronunciation: hem-ee-neg-LEKT
Failure to attend to or acknowledge one side of space, typically following right hemisphere damage.
Full Definition
A neurological condition characterized by the failure to attend to, respond to, or acknowledge stimuli on one side of space, typically the left side following right hemisphere brain damage. Hemineglect can affect visual, auditory, and tactile modalities and significantly impacts daily functioning. Patients may ignore food on one side of their plate, fail to dress one side of their body, or collide with objects on the neglected side.
Usage
Usage note: More common with right hemisphere lesions. Distinguish from hemianopia, which is a visual field deficit.
In Context
- "The patient exhibited severe left hemineglect, consistently ignoring stimuli on the affected side." — Neuropsychological assessment
- "Clock drawing tests revealed characteristic features of hemineglect with numbers crowded on the right side." — Cognitive evaluation
Also known as
unilateral neglect
spatial neglect
hemispatial neglect
Contrasted with
intact spatial attention
Don't confuse with
hemianopia
anosognosia