Unilateral spatial neglect: New treatment approaches with potential application to occupational therapy

Unilateral spatial neglect is one of the most common symptoms of stroke. It has important implications for occupational therapy because of its clinica l manifestations, which include problems with activities of daily living, m obility, and redding. This article reviews neurophysiological theories pert aining to unilateral spatial neglect and focuses on two new treatment appro aches with potential application to occupational therapy practice. Both app roaches-constraint-induced therapy and partial visual occlusion-involve a f orm of restraint of the less affected side. These approaches are discussed in the context of current neuro-physiological theories and the application to occupational therapy treatment for neglect.