Line Bisection Test
What It Measures
The Line Bisection Test asks a person to mark the middle of a horizontal line. Someone with spatial neglect after a stroke will consistently place the mark off-centre, shifted toward the side of space they are still attending to, because the neglected end of the line simply does not register.
A page of lines is presented at different lengths and positions. The score is how far each mark deviates from the true midpoint, usually expressed as a percentage of line length and averaged. A deviation beyond a set threshold suggests neglect, and lines left entirely unmarked count too. It takes under five minutes and needs only paper and a pencil.
Additional Notes
Licensing Notes: The most-cited version is the Schenkenberg Line Bisection Test, published by Schenkenberg, Bradford, and Ajax in Neurology (1980). The task is described fully in the published literature and reproduced without restriction across clinical resources.
Learn More: Multiple versions exist, and several scoring protocols exist. Stroke Engine cites a deviation of more than 6 mm from the midpoint, while much of the research literature uses a mean percentage deviation above roughly 9.5%. Note also a real limitation: performance can be affected by hemianopia rather than neglect, so the test is not highly specific and results should be confirmed with other measures.
