Topography of the hemi-inattention syndrome.

The hemi-inattention syndrome was studied in 15 right-handed adults, 12 men and 3 women. One patient had a pontic-mesencephalic lesion, 3 had right hemisphere damage, 7 had left-hemisphere lesion and 4 had bilateral lesions. All lesions were confirmed by CT-scan. Different criteria of hemi-inattention were used. All patients presented extinction, inattention and in 13 visuomotor akinesia; 5 of the left and all of the right and bilateral lesion patients presented spatial neglect. CT-scans were superimposed. The posterior parietal region was the most important in producing contralateral hemi-inattention. Results are discussed with relation to the literature and the educational factor and cerebral asymmetry are discussed with regard to hemi-inattention.