Differential effects of static and dynamic visual prompts on attention–motor performance: the role of sustained attention after stroke

Introduction Visual prompts enhance motor performance in goal-directed tasks by modulating attentional resource allocation. Given that stroke patients often exhibit attentional deficits and impaired visual processing, cue-based interventions are increasingly used in neurorehabilitation. However, how different prompt types interact with attentional capacity to influence attention–motor performance remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the differential effects of static and dynamic prompts in stroke patients and healthy controls. Methods Sustained attention was assessed using the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) in stroke patients and healthy controls. A virtual reality-based Target-Goal Task (TGT) was employed to compare the effects of static and dynamic prompts between groups. Results Stroke patients showed significant impairments in attention–motor performance compared with controls. In healthy individuals, dynamic prompts were associated with faster response times, higher prefrontal oxygenated hemoglobin levels, and more efficient brain network topology (i.e., higher clustering coefficient [CC] and shorter characteristic path length [PL]), indicating enhanced attentional allocation and information integration. In contrast, stroke patients performed better under static cue conditions, possibly due to lower cognitive load demands. Discussion The effects of visual prompts depend on sustained attention capacity. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring prompt strategies to individual cognitive profiles and provide evidence for personalized visual cue-based rehabilitation.