Analysing constructional aspects of figure completion for the diagnosis of visuo-spatial neglect

Visuo-spatial neglect (VSN) is a condition following a stroke or head injury whereby a patient fails to respond to stimuli on one side of the visual field. A standard clinical assessment technique for analysis of VSN is a pencil-and-paper based figure drawing task. Traditional static analysis of this task involves assessing the presence of the major components of the drawing. Marking of drawings is subjective, relying on assessors´ own judgement and experience, and therefore no standardisation exists between assessors. Using a computer-based test capture system, this paper establishes a standardised performance assessment for a drawing task including a series of novel dynamic performance features pertaining to the timing and constructional aspects of test performance. A case sturdy of two patients demonstrates the ability to detect VSN from a response which would have traditionally been assessed as normal and hence improve the sensitivity of the task