Improvement in arousal, visual neglect, and perception of stimulus intensity following cold pressor stimulation.

The relationship between arousal, perception, and visual neglect was examined in this case study. Cold pressor stimulation (CPS: immersing the foot in iced water) was used to manipulate arousal and to determine its effects on contralesional neglect, perception of stimulus intensity (magnitude estimation), reaction time, and an electrophysiological correlate of ascending reticular activating system activity (i.e., the P50 potential). Measures that normalized from baseline following CPS included contralesional neglect on a clock drawing test, perception of stimulus magnitude, and P50 amplitude. The P50 amplitude returned to its abnormally low baseline level 20 min after CPS ended, indicating that CPS increased arousal.