Prismatic adaptation effects on spatial representation of time in neglect patients

Oliveri, Massimiliano; Magnani, Barbara; Filipelli, Alessandra; Avanzi, Stefano; Frassinetti, Francesca

doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2011.11.010

Article in Press

Prismatic adaptation effects on spatial representation of time in neglect patients

Massimiliano Oliveri
- Department of Psychology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
- Fondazione “Santa Lucia” IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Barbara Magnani
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Alessandra Filipelli
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Stefano Avanzi
- Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, Clinica del Lavoro e della Riabilitazione, IRCCS – Istituto Scientifico di Castel Goffredo, Mantova, Italy
Francesca Frassinetti
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, Clinica del Lavoro e della Riabilitazione, IRCCS – Istituto Scientifico di Castel Goffredo, Mantova, Italy
- Corresponding author. Department of Psychology, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy.

Received 22 July 2011; received in revised form 28 September 2011; accepted 10 November 2011. published online 26 December 2011.
Corrected Proof

Reviewed 5 September 2011. Action editor Jane Riddoch

Abstract

Processing of temporal information may require the use of spatial attention to represent time along a mental time line. We used prismatic adaptation (PA) to explore the contribution of spatial attention to the spatial representation of time in right brain damaged patients with and without neglect of left space and in age-matched healthy controls.

Right brain damaged patients presented time underestimation deficits, that were significantly greater in patients with neglect than in patients without neglect. PA inducing leftward attentional deviation reduced time underestimation deficit in patients with neglect.

The results support the hypothesis that a right hemispheric network has a role, per se, in time perception. Moreover, they suggest that right hemisphere is important in time perception for its control of spatial attention, engaged in spatial representation of time. Procedures that ameliorate left spatial deficits could also be useful for modulating temporal deficits in right brain damaged patients with neglect.

Keywords: Temporal deficits, Spatial representation of time, Spatial attention, Prismatic adaptation