Stroke's 'invisible disability'

+ Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit' resonates with religious narratives US Edition - Today's top story: Stroke survivors may be saddled with an invisible disability known as spatial neglect – but a simple treatment offers significant improvement [View in browser]( US Edition | 21 July 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Happy Sunday − and welcome to the best of The Conversation U.S. Here are a few of our recently published stories: - [Massive IT outage spotlights major vulnerabilities in the global information ecosystem]( - [Online rumors sparked by the Trump assassination attempt spread rapidly, on both ends of the political spectrum]( Both of my parents have had strokes in recent years, which resulted in a loss of feeling in some parts of their bodies. Most recently, my mother – a pianist – suffered a stroke that left her unable to use her right hand, which was especially frustrating for her because she could no longer play her favorite instrument. Fortunately, the feeling in her hand came back after a little physical therapy and the passage of time, and she was soon able to play and teach without a problem. One possible consequence of their strokes I wasn’t told about is “spatial neglect,” in which the survivor struggles to navigate the world around them. “Most of us take for granted the ability to move and react effortlessly to what is happening around us,” write A.M. Barrett and Kevin Houston, neurologists at UMass Chan Medical School. “But these things are difficult for people with spatial neglect. Their internal map of the three-dimensional world is unreliable on one side.” And [it often goes undiagnosed]( because caregivers don’t see the postural and movement changes as related to the stroke, they explain. In one of last week’s reader picks, they answer basic questions about the condition and provide a simple and effective treatment. I don’t believe my parents are suffering from this “invisible disability,” but I’ll be sure to talk to them about it so we’re prepared. Bryan Keogh Managing Editor Readers' picks [Stroke survivors may be saddled with an invisible disability known as spatial neglect – but a simple treatment offers significant improvement]( A.M. Barrett, UMass Chan Medical School; Kevin Houston, UMass Chan Medical School About half of those recovering from a stroke or a brain injury have spatial neglect. 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