Heterogeneity in post-stroke attention: a computational approach to capture individual differences, their impact on daily life and lesion neuroanatomy

Hemispatial neglect, a syndrome characterized by spatial and non-spatial attention deficits is a common sequela after stroke. Research has revealed a detrimental impact of hemispatial neglect on independence in daily life and has failed to identify a critical lesion site underlying neglect. Most studies relied on pen-and-paper tests which are unable to dissociate spatial from non-spatial deficits. For this reason, studies have likely included patients who were heterogeneous regarding their underlying attentional impairments. Although the syndrome-focused framework has dominated research on post-stroke attention, it is unclear whether individual differences are indeed best captured by discrete versus continuous dimensions. In the current project, we will disentangle attentional functions within the computational framework of the Theory of Visual Attention. We will investigate the structure of individual differences (discrete versus continuous) in attention processes. In addition, we will investigate the relative importance of spatial and non-spatial deficits in predicting activities in daily life and we will further unravel the neural basis of attentional dysfunctions after stroke. This project will contribute to a better understanding of individual differences in attentional functions post-stroke, which can improve predictive models of post-stroke recovery and contribute to the development of patient-tailored interventions.