Attentional modulation of implicit processing of information in spatial neglect

PATIENTS with parietal lesions often fail to identify stimuli in the contra lesional field (i.e. neglect) but may nevertheless demonstrate implicit pro cessing of neglected stimuli. Explanations of implicit processing in neglec t range from intact preattentive mechanisms, to intact higher level categor ical processing. Such theories assume implicit processing in neglect is pas sive and not subject to attentional modulation. We investigated implicit pr ocessing in a neglect patient US) using a flanker task in which targets dif fered on two dimensions simultaneously (i.e. coloured letters). Controls de monstrated interference effects only from goal-relevant dimensions of flank ers. JS showed a similar pattern. of results even when flankers appeared in his neglected field, suggesting that implicit processing of neglected stim uli can be modulated by behavioural goals. NeuroReport 10:1077-1083 (C) 199 9 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.