Julia Reinhardt1, Martina Wengenroth1, Gundhild Leifert-Fiebach2, Peter Schneider1, Maria Blatow1, Anouk Welfringer2, Ralf Babinsky2, Tobias Brandt2, Christoph Stippich1
1Department of Neuroradiology, University of Heidelberg Medical School, Heidelberg, Baden Wrttemberg, Germany; 2Kliniken Schmieder, Heidelberg, Germany
Spatial neglect is a neurological disorder caused by lesions in right-hemispheric association areas resulting in neglect and decreased usage of the left side of the body. Employing an established functional MRI paradigm we were able to detect and quantify pre and post therapeutic motor imagery activations which we used to quantify therapy effects in eight patients with chronic neglect. We therefore propose that fMRI can be used as an objective and independent tool to monitor post-therapeutic changes on the neurobiological level.