| Objective:To explore the contingent capture of attention in patients with left unilateral spatial neglect. Methods: A total of 20 patients with left unilateral spatial neglect due to right hemisphere damage and 20 matched healthy controls were studied. All subjects completed neuropsychological background test and the contingent capture of attention test. We observed the difference in attentional capture effect between patients with left unilateral spatial neglect and healthy subjects, and analyzed the factors influencing the intensity of contingent capture of attention. Results: (1) As ccompared with the healthy controls, the accuracy rate of digital capture of the patients with left unilateral spatial neglect was significantly reduced (P<0.01). (2) In the healthy control group, whether or not the color of the distractor stimulus matches the color of the targets, distractor stimulus in the left visual field could elicit lower accuracy rate of digital capture than distractor stimulus in the right visual field (P<0.01). Whether the distractor stimulus was on the left or right visual field, the accuracy rate of digital capture was lower in the color of distractor stimulus being consistent with the targets than being inconsistent (P<0.01, P<0.05). (3) In the left unilateral spatial neglect group, whether or not the color of the distractor stimulus matches the color of the targets, distractor stimulus in the right visual field could elicit lower accuracy rate of digital capture than distractor stimulus in the left visual field (P<0.05). Whether or not the color of the distractor stimulus in the left visual field was consistent with the color of the targets, the difference in the accuracy rate of digital capture was not statistically significant. When the color of the distractor stimulus in the right visual field was consistent with the targets, the accuracy rate of digital capture was lower than inconsistent (P<0.05). Conclusion: The attentional capture effect in patients with left unilateral spatial neglect decreased. Nevertheless, the distractor stimulus matched target stimulation in color produced larger involuntary attentioanl capture effect in both patients with left unilateral spatial neglect and healthy controls. |
