Optic aphasia and the right hemisphere: a replication and extension

Brain Lang. 1992 Jul;43(1):148-61. doi: 10.1016/0093-934x(92)90026-b.

Abstract

Optic aphasia is a rare, visual modality-specific naming disorder. We describe a patient who developed this disorder subsequent to a left occipital lobe infarction. Like another case that we described previously, this patient performed normally on a variety of tasks assessing the recognition of objects he could not name. Additionally, although he never read aloud a single word, his performance on lexical decision and word comprehension tasks was far better than chance. We suggest that his performance was mediated by a right hemisphere semantic system.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Agnosia / diagnosis
  • Agnosia / physiopathology
  • Anomia / diagnosis
  • Anomia / physiopathology
  • Aphasia / diagnosis*
  • Aphasia / physiopathology
  • Aphasia / psychology
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / physiopathology
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Language Tests*
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Semantics*
  • Visual Perception / physiology*