Effect of Mirror Therapy on Unilateral Neglect for Patients After Stroke

Twenty-one subacute inpatients with left unilateral neglect after right-hemispheric stroke, recruited from 2 hospitals - Hong Kong and Guangzhou, in 1 and a half years, were randomly assigned to three groups; mirror therapy, sham therapy (in the form of a transparent glass wall), and control (covered mirror). The treatment programme for all groups consisted of 12 sessions (4 per week for 3 weeks) movement practice for the hemiplegic arm involved 5 table-top tasks graded according to the severity of patients' arm impairments. Blinded assessments were administered at baseline, 3-week postintervention, and 3-week follow-up upon completion of training.