Agnosia: Loss of Object Recognition Following Traumatic Brain Injury or Stroke

Classified as a rare brain disorder, agnosia is often misdiagnosed or under diagnosed in patients suffering from stroke or traumatic brain injury. At present, agnosia is not given much attention in the neurological community, in terms of research, as there only an approximate 200,000 cases at present classifying this as a rare condition. For individuals and family members dealing with an agnosia diagnosis, understanding the symptoms and support programs available will work to improve the quality of life for the patient.

As a disorder in which the individual is unable to identify shapes, objects and people, agnosia does not impair the memory nor the sensory sensations, including taste and smell, of the sufferer. When damage to the temporal lobe of the brain occurs, either by stroke, neurological disorder or by brain injury, agnosia may develop often leaving the patient and family in a confused state when the individual is no longer able to recognize faces and familiar objects.

While the symptoms of agnosia can mimic that of other conditions, there are some unique symptoms associated with agnosia unlike any other condition. Such symptoms with conflicting diagnosis implications might include dementia, mental retardation or even a condition known as Capgras Syndrome. As a result, when patient exhibits agnosia related symptoms, extensive psychological and diagnostic testing will be done to ensure the condition is not related to another origin.

While there is no cure for agnosia, there are treatment measures in place to compensate for the temporal lobe damage associated with agnosia. Through speech and occupational therapy the agnosia sufferer is provided an opportunity in retraining other areas of the brain. Offering supportive programs, including programs which support family members, will assist the agnosia sufferer in coping with the new found complication in recognizing objects and people that were once very familiar.