EP11EN — Spatial Neglect After Stroke: Assess and Understand

In this episode, we discuss spatial neglect after stroke, a condition that may affect spatial exploration, attention to the body, and action orientation. Beyond an abnormal test result, neglect can interfere with daily activities, self-care, mobility, safety, and participation. The discussion starts with a key clinical question: How can we recognise neglect and understand its real-world impact before deciding how to intervene? We explore: what neglect is and why it should not be reduced to “not seeing one side”; the difference between egocentric and allocentric neglect; personal, peripersonal and extrapersonal neglect; how to distinguish neglect from hemianopsia, sensory impairment, paresis or lateropulsion; the importance of combining formal tests with functional observation; how to assess its impact on daily activities, walking and navigation; the use of the Catherine Bergego Scale and other functional measures; prism adaptation and visuospatial training; visual exploration training integrated into real-life tasks; what we know, and what remains uncertain, about mirror therapy, virtual reality, robotics and other approaches; why improvement on a neglect test does not necessarily mean greater independence or safety; how to define functional goals and assess transfer to everyday life. The available evidence remains limited and heterogeneous. Rather than presenting a universal technique, this episode focuses on a more careful clinical reasoning process: assess the profile, identify the activity that is limited, choose an intervention that matches the problem, and measure outcomes that matter in daily life. Thank you for following BTB Rehab and for being part of this community dedicated to connecting science with clinical practice in rehabilitation. 🎧 Listen to the episode and explore the supporting resources available in this post. 🎧 Patreon   / ep11en-spatial-172225549   🎧 Spotify https://tinyurl.com/BTB-Rehab-podcast... 🎧 Versão Portuguesa    • EP11PT — Neglect após AVC: avaliar e compr...   #BTBRehab #BenchToBedside #Physiotherapy #EvidenceBasedPractice #SpatialNeglect #StrokeRehabilitation #Neurorehabilitation