FACTORS THAT MODIFY THE PERFORMANCE OF RIGHT HEMISPHERE STROKE PATIENTS ON FACIAL AFFECT RECOGNITION TEST

The aim of the present study was to characterize the relationship between left hemispatial neglect (LHN), post-stroke depression, and recognition of emotional facial expression. The Facial Affect Recognition Test by Ekman & Friesen (1976) was administered to 30 RHS patients and 31 demographically matched normal controls. Statistical analyzes revealed that all RHS patients were impaired on the Facial Affect Recognition Test. Additionally, a significant negative correlation between the severity of LHN and the total number of correctly identified emotional faces emerged. Interestingly, the severity of LHN did not correlate with the time needed to complete the Facial Affect Recognition Test, whereas the severity of depression did. However, no significant relationship was found between the severity of depression and the number of correctly identified emotional faces. Moreover, regardless of depression, lack of LHN was associated with significantly better RHS patients' performance on the Facial Affect Recognition Test. These results are consistent with previous studies demonstrating impaired recognition of facial expression among RHS patients. Our study also suggests that there is a unique relationship between LHN, depression, and recognition of facial expression.