The inclusion criteria were:
(1) complaints of unilateral hand dysfunction resulting from a stroke;
(2) previously right-handed as confirmed by Edinburgh Handedness Inventory
(3) a score of >24 on Folstein's Mini Mental Status Examination, suggesting absence of dementia
(4) ability to complete the reading comprehension, listening and oral expression subtests on the short-form of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination17 to rule out significant aphasia;
(5) ability to read newsprint held at arm's length separately with each eye (with glasses on) to rule-out significant deficits in visual acuity;
(6) ability to count fingers in all four quadrants of the visual field with each eye on confrontation testing, ruling out significant peripheral visual field defects;
(7) ability to bisect a straight line within 5% of the midpoint, ruling out clinically significant spatial neglect;
(8) ability to demonstrate accurate use of scissors, suggesting absence of ideomotor apraxia