PSY 2C 08: BRAIN, BODY AND
BEHAVIOUR
UNIT–I: BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR
TOPIC: ALEXIA
, ALEXIA
Alexia is a term describing a partial or complete inability to read. There are a number of different subtypes of
alexia, but all have in common the feature that the affected patient cannot read normally, so that reading is slow or
impossible, and comprehension is impaired. Stroke is the most common cause of acquired alexia, though other forms
of neurological disease can also cause alexia. Alexia is associated with lesions that disconnect both visual association
cortices from the dominant, language-related temporoparietal cortices. Treatment for alexia includes attempts to
increase speed and accuracy of letter-by-letter reading and whole word recognition.
➢ What causes Alexia?
Pure alexia is usually caused by an occlusion of distal (posterior) branches of the left posterior cerebral artery. The
resultant damage is believed to interrupt the transfer of neural information from the visual cortex to the language
cortex.
➢ How is Alexia treated?
Many vision rehabilitation techniques can be tried in the treatment of pure alexia. One technique includes improving
letter-by-letter reading. Oral re-reading is another technique that can be used. Oral re-reading can lead to improved
accuracy and reading rate.
➢ What is the difference between dyslexia and Alexia?
Alexia is the term used when someone loses the ability to read or understand words, sentences, or, in
some cases, even letters. It is also called visual aphasia or word blindness. This is fairly common after a
stroke. It is caused by severe damage to the left side of the brain (the occipital and temporal lobes).
Alexia is a form of dyslexia but dyslexia is developmental, meaning that it does not happen from an occurrence
such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Alexia is an acquired reading disability as a result of an acquired event
such as a stroke. It is most common for alexia to be accompanied by expressive aphasia (the ability to speak in
sentences), and agraphia (the ability to write).
All alexia is not the same, however. You may have difficulty with the following:
● Recognizing words
● Difficulty identifying and reading synonyms
● Difficulty with reading despite your ability to sound out pronunciation of words.
● Although you can read words, it is too difficult to read for very long.
BEHAVIOUR
UNIT–I: BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR
TOPIC: ALEXIA
, ALEXIA
Alexia is a term describing a partial or complete inability to read. There are a number of different subtypes of
alexia, but all have in common the feature that the affected patient cannot read normally, so that reading is slow or
impossible, and comprehension is impaired. Stroke is the most common cause of acquired alexia, though other forms
of neurological disease can also cause alexia. Alexia is associated with lesions that disconnect both visual association
cortices from the dominant, language-related temporoparietal cortices. Treatment for alexia includes attempts to
increase speed and accuracy of letter-by-letter reading and whole word recognition.
➢ What causes Alexia?
Pure alexia is usually caused by an occlusion of distal (posterior) branches of the left posterior cerebral artery. The
resultant damage is believed to interrupt the transfer of neural information from the visual cortex to the language
cortex.
➢ How is Alexia treated?
Many vision rehabilitation techniques can be tried in the treatment of pure alexia. One technique includes improving
letter-by-letter reading. Oral re-reading is another technique that can be used. Oral re-reading can lead to improved
accuracy and reading rate.
➢ What is the difference between dyslexia and Alexia?
Alexia is the term used when someone loses the ability to read or understand words, sentences, or, in
some cases, even letters. It is also called visual aphasia or word blindness. This is fairly common after a
stroke. It is caused by severe damage to the left side of the brain (the occipital and temporal lobes).
Alexia is a form of dyslexia but dyslexia is developmental, meaning that it does not happen from an occurrence
such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Alexia is an acquired reading disability as a result of an acquired event
such as a stroke. It is most common for alexia to be accompanied by expressive aphasia (the ability to speak in
sentences), and agraphia (the ability to write).
All alexia is not the same, however. You may have difficulty with the following:
● Recognizing words
● Difficulty identifying and reading synonyms
● Difficulty with reading despite your ability to sound out pronunciation of words.
● Although you can read words, it is too difficult to read for very long.
