Improvement of Visual Search After Audiovisual Exploration Training in Hemianopic Patients

Objective. A variety of rehabilitation strategies have been tried in patients with chronic hemianopia and quadrantanopia. The authors compared 2 approaches of blind field exploration in those with recent onset of disease. Methods. A total of 20 patients with visual field defects were studied between 3 and 24 weeks primarily after stroke. Patients were randomly assigned to separate groups performing either audiovisual stimulation training or a visual stimulation training (20 sessions, each lasting 30 minutes). Patients were evaluated before and after the training with visual exploration tests for reading and object search; eye movements were analyzed with electro-oculography, and a questionnaire was completed by an occupational therapist about impairment in daily life activities. Results. Both groups improved their performance after compensatory eye movement training. Comparisons between the 2 forms of training revealed a significantly greater improvement for all outcome variables for the audiovisual group. In particular audiovisual stimulation significantly increased the number and amplitude of saccades. Conclusions. Multimodal audiovisual exploration training appears to be more effective than exploration training alone and may improve function beyond spontaneous recovery soon after ischemia of the occipital lobe.