Achromatopsia Loss of colour perception (bilateral damage to occipital lobe in the prestriate cortex or
secondary visual cortex in the direction of the temporal lobe)
Aphasia Syndrome of disordered expression or comprehension of spoken and/or written
language caused by brain injury
Agnosia The 'do not know' in Latin.
Inability to recognize and interpret objects, people, sounds, or smells despite intact
primary sense organs (e.g., inability to identify a sound despite intact hearing);
typically results from damage to the occipital or parietal lobe
Agraphia Writing disorder - inability to communicate ideas in written language not due to
mechanical dysfunction; typically results from damage to the parietal lobe
Angiogram A medical imaging technique used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels
and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins, and the heart
chambers
Anomia Inability to name objects or to recognize written or spoken names of objects
Anosodiaphoria A condition in which a person who has a brain injury seems indifferent to the
existence of their handicap. Anosodiaphoria is specifically used in association with
indifference to paralysis. It is a somatosensory agnosia, or a sign of neglect
syndrome.
Anosognosia Lack of awareness of or indifference to one’s own neurological deficit, seen with
nondominant parietal lobe lesions
Apperceptive agnosia A failure in recognition that is due to a failure of perception e.g. patient cannot trace
pictures or cannot distinguish a rectangle from a square
Apraxia Inability to perform complex, learned actions. Impaired planning/sequencing of
movement that is not due to weakness, incoordination, or sensory loss. Although the
movements cannot be performed for a specific situation, they may be performed
under other circumstances (e.g., inability to lift feet off the floor when attempting to
walk but preserved ability to perform bicycling movements of the legs while lying in
bed). Results from dissociation of parts of the cerebrum and is often associated with
parietal lobe lesions
Arcuate fasciculus Pathway connecting Wernicke’s area in the posterior left superior temporal gyrus to
Broca’s area in the left inferior frontal lobe; lesion results in impaired repetition
Associative agnosia It is an impairment in recognition or assigning meaning to a stimulus that is accurately
perceived and not associated with a generalized deficit in intelligence, memory,
language or attention
Atrophy Atrophy of any tissue means a decrement in the size of the cell, which can be due to
progressive loss of cytoplasmic proteins. In brain tissue, atrophy describes a loss of
neurons and the connections between them. Cerebral atrophy is a common feature of
many of the diseases that affect the brain.
Auditory agnosia It is a form of agnosia that manifests itself primarily in the inability to recognize or
differentiate between sounds. It is not a defect of the ear or "hearing", but rather a
neurological inability of the brain to process sound meaning.
Auditory agnosia for Word deafness, also called auditory verbal agnosia.
1
, speech
Auditory sound agnosia Sound deafness, auditory agnosia for non-speech sounds
Auditory neglect Inattention to stimuli within the left hemispace, is mostly reported in association with
left ear extinction in dichotic listening.
Responds to auditory stimuli ipsilaterally (on the same side as the lesion), while
ignoring others
Autotopagnosis A form of agnosia characterized by an inability to localize and orient different parts of
the body. The psychoneurological disorder has also been referred to as "body-image
agnosia" or
"somatotopagnosia." Typically, the cause of autotopagnosia is a lesion found in the
parietal lobe of the left hemisphere of the brain. However, it has also been noted that
patients with generalized brain damage present with similar symptoms of
autotopagnosia.
Carcinoma A malignant cancer made up of epithelial cells tending to infiltrate the surrounding
tissues and give rise to metastases. It is a histological type of neoplasm (new
abnormal growth of tissue) but is often wrongly used as a synonym for "cancer."
Category-specific visual Easier recognition of a category of objects compared to another category of objects
recognition
Confabulate A memory error defined as the production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted
memories about oneself or the world, without the conscious intention to deceive
Constructional apraxia A neurological disorder characterized by an inability or difficulty to build, assemble, or
draw objects.
Cortical blindness The total or partial loss of vision in a normal-appearing eye caused by damage to the
brain's occipital cortex. Cortical blindness can be acquired or congenital (patient is
born with this) and may also be transient in certain instances.
CT-scan Special X-ray tests that produce cross-sectional images of the body using X-rays and
(Computerized Axial a computer.
Tomography)
Diffuse axonal injury Caused by stretching and tearing of nerves and axons, can lead to temporary
disturbance of the reticular formation (RF) i.e.
reduced cortical arousal, fatigue, emotionally unstable, hypersensitivity to noise
Diplopia Double vision
Disinhibition A lack of restraint manifested in several ways, affecting motor, instinctual, emotional,
cognitive, and perceptual aspects with signs and symptoms e.g. impulsivity,
disregard for others and social norms, aggressive outbursts, misconduct and
oppositional behaviours, disinhibited instinctual drives including risk-taking
behaviours and hypersexuality. Disinhibition is a common symptom following brain
injury, or lesions, particularly to the frontal lobe and primarily to the orbitofrontal
cortex. Also, through the influence of external stimuli such as drugs or alcohol.
Dressing apraxia A syndrome of the right hemisphere, indicating the incapacity of effectuating the acts
of dressing correctly
Frontal amnesia An amnesic state associated with damage to the frontal lobes and characterised by
confabulations and difficulties with problemsolving tasks requiring forward planning.
2
secondary visual cortex in the direction of the temporal lobe)
Aphasia Syndrome of disordered expression or comprehension of spoken and/or written
language caused by brain injury
Agnosia The 'do not know' in Latin.
Inability to recognize and interpret objects, people, sounds, or smells despite intact
primary sense organs (e.g., inability to identify a sound despite intact hearing);
typically results from damage to the occipital or parietal lobe
Agraphia Writing disorder - inability to communicate ideas in written language not due to
mechanical dysfunction; typically results from damage to the parietal lobe
Angiogram A medical imaging technique used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels
and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins, and the heart
chambers
Anomia Inability to name objects or to recognize written or spoken names of objects
Anosodiaphoria A condition in which a person who has a brain injury seems indifferent to the
existence of their handicap. Anosodiaphoria is specifically used in association with
indifference to paralysis. It is a somatosensory agnosia, or a sign of neglect
syndrome.
Anosognosia Lack of awareness of or indifference to one’s own neurological deficit, seen with
nondominant parietal lobe lesions
Apperceptive agnosia A failure in recognition that is due to a failure of perception e.g. patient cannot trace
pictures or cannot distinguish a rectangle from a square
Apraxia Inability to perform complex, learned actions. Impaired planning/sequencing of
movement that is not due to weakness, incoordination, or sensory loss. Although the
movements cannot be performed for a specific situation, they may be performed
under other circumstances (e.g., inability to lift feet off the floor when attempting to
walk but preserved ability to perform bicycling movements of the legs while lying in
bed). Results from dissociation of parts of the cerebrum and is often associated with
parietal lobe lesions
Arcuate fasciculus Pathway connecting Wernicke’s area in the posterior left superior temporal gyrus to
Broca’s area in the left inferior frontal lobe; lesion results in impaired repetition
Associative agnosia It is an impairment in recognition or assigning meaning to a stimulus that is accurately
perceived and not associated with a generalized deficit in intelligence, memory,
language or attention
Atrophy Atrophy of any tissue means a decrement in the size of the cell, which can be due to
progressive loss of cytoplasmic proteins. In brain tissue, atrophy describes a loss of
neurons and the connections between them. Cerebral atrophy is a common feature of
many of the diseases that affect the brain.
Auditory agnosia It is a form of agnosia that manifests itself primarily in the inability to recognize or
differentiate between sounds. It is not a defect of the ear or "hearing", but rather a
neurological inability of the brain to process sound meaning.
Auditory agnosia for Word deafness, also called auditory verbal agnosia.
1
, speech
Auditory sound agnosia Sound deafness, auditory agnosia for non-speech sounds
Auditory neglect Inattention to stimuli within the left hemispace, is mostly reported in association with
left ear extinction in dichotic listening.
Responds to auditory stimuli ipsilaterally (on the same side as the lesion), while
ignoring others
Autotopagnosis A form of agnosia characterized by an inability to localize and orient different parts of
the body. The psychoneurological disorder has also been referred to as "body-image
agnosia" or
"somatotopagnosia." Typically, the cause of autotopagnosia is a lesion found in the
parietal lobe of the left hemisphere of the brain. However, it has also been noted that
patients with generalized brain damage present with similar symptoms of
autotopagnosia.
Carcinoma A malignant cancer made up of epithelial cells tending to infiltrate the surrounding
tissues and give rise to metastases. It is a histological type of neoplasm (new
abnormal growth of tissue) but is often wrongly used as a synonym for "cancer."
Category-specific visual Easier recognition of a category of objects compared to another category of objects
recognition
Confabulate A memory error defined as the production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted
memories about oneself or the world, without the conscious intention to deceive
Constructional apraxia A neurological disorder characterized by an inability or difficulty to build, assemble, or
draw objects.
Cortical blindness The total or partial loss of vision in a normal-appearing eye caused by damage to the
brain's occipital cortex. Cortical blindness can be acquired or congenital (patient is
born with this) and may also be transient in certain instances.
CT-scan Special X-ray tests that produce cross-sectional images of the body using X-rays and
(Computerized Axial a computer.
Tomography)
Diffuse axonal injury Caused by stretching and tearing of nerves and axons, can lead to temporary
disturbance of the reticular formation (RF) i.e.
reduced cortical arousal, fatigue, emotionally unstable, hypersensitivity to noise
Diplopia Double vision
Disinhibition A lack of restraint manifested in several ways, affecting motor, instinctual, emotional,
cognitive, and perceptual aspects with signs and symptoms e.g. impulsivity,
disregard for others and social norms, aggressive outbursts, misconduct and
oppositional behaviours, disinhibited instinctual drives including risk-taking
behaviours and hypersexuality. Disinhibition is a common symptom following brain
injury, or lesions, particularly to the frontal lobe and primarily to the orbitofrontal
cortex. Also, through the influence of external stimuli such as drugs or alcohol.
Dressing apraxia A syndrome of the right hemisphere, indicating the incapacity of effectuating the acts
of dressing correctly
Frontal amnesia An amnesic state associated with damage to the frontal lobes and characterised by
confabulations and difficulties with problemsolving tasks requiring forward planning.
2
