Musical Neglect Training for Unilateral Visual Neglect in Right Hemispheric Stroke Patients

Unilateral visual neglect from right hemisphere stroke is a condition that reduces a person's ability to attend to and process stimuli in one half, mostly left side, of their environment. This perceptual processing deficit can negatively affect individuals' daily living which in turn reduces functional independence. Music has been used as a therapeutic tool in a variety of settings to promote cognitive functions. In particular, music has been used to improve attention in the left sides for patients with visual neglect. Musical Neglect Training (MNT) has been developed for patients with visual neglect to improve attention in the left side.

The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate and longer-lasting effect of Musical Neglect Training (MNT) on unilateral visual neglect. A single-subject design was used, as participants served as their own control. Two individuals participated in this study. Participants underwent six individual MNT sessions. MNT uses musical exercises which are structured in pitch, time and tempo, and musical equipment (tone bars, keyboards, drums) configures to focus attention to the neglect visual field. Two standardized assessments (Albert's and Line Bisection Test) were used. The assessments were administered immediately before and after each of the 6 MNT sessions to assess the immediate effect of MNT. Moreover, follow-up testing was done one week after their 6th session to examine the longer-lasting effects of MNT. Paired t-test was used to examine the immediate effect, and both participants showed significant improvement with Albert's Test in immediate effect.