Cognitive deficits associated with optic aphasia: Neuropsychological contribution to a differential diagnosis

Rodrigues, Melissa de Almeida; Adda, Carla Cristina; Lucia, Mara Cristina de Souza; Scaff, Milberto; Miotto, Eliane Correa

doi:10.1590/S1980-57642009DN20200013

Abstract

Optic aphasia is characterized by a deficit in naming objects presented visually, as a result of left occipito-temporal lesion. It differs from other neuropsychological disorders due to the nature of the deficits and impairment of cognitive function. A 52 year-old patient, admitted after an episode of sub-acute infarction in the territory of the left posterior cerebral artery involving the temporo-occipital region, was submitted to neuropsychological evaluation as part of a diagnostic investigation and presented specific characteristics of this disorder, as well as impairment to episodic memory. The relevance of the present case is justified not only due to the rarity of the disorder, but also because it highlights the importance of differential diagnosis in the treatment of patients.

Key words:
optic aphasia; neuropsychological assessment; differential diagnosis

Resumo

Afasia óptica consiste num déficit de nomear objetos apresentados visualmente como resultado de lesão occipito-temporal esquerda. Difere de outras desordens neuropsicológicas devido à natureza do déficit e comprometimento de funções cognitivas. Um paciente de 52 anos, internado após episódio de infarto subagudo em território de artéria cerebral posterior esquerda com acometimento da região têmporo-occipital, foi submetido à avaliação neuropsicológica como parte de investigação diagnóstica e apresentou características específicas desta desordem, bem como comprometimento de memória episódica. A relevância deste estudo é justificada não somente pela raridade com que a afasia óptica se apresenta, mas porque evidencia a importância do diagnóstico diferencial no tratamento dispensado aos pacientes.

Palavras-chave:
afasia óptica; avaliação neuropsicológica; diagnóstico diferencial

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References

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Sitton M, Mozer M, Farah M. Superadditive effects of multiple lesions in a connectionist architecture: implications for the neuropsychology of optic aphasia. Psychol Rev 2000;107:709-734.
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Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
Apr-Jun 2008

History

Received
24 Mar 2008
Accepted
14 May 2008

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License

[1] ¹
Gainotti G. Anatomical functional and cognitive determinants of semantic memory disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2006;30:577-594.

[2] ²
Sitton M, Mozer M, Farah M. Superadditive effects of multiple lesions in a connectionist architecture: implications for the neuropsychology of optic aphasia. Psychol Rev 2000;107:709-734.

[3] ³
Hodges JR. Localized cognitive Functions in cognitive assessment for clinicians. 3rd ed. New York : Oxford University Press; 1994.

[4] ⁴
Ferreira CT, Giusiano B, Ceccaldi M, Poncet M. Optic aphasia: evidence of the contribution of different neural systems to object and action naming. Cortex 1997;33:499-513.

[5] ⁵
Hillis AE. Aphasia: progress in the last quarter of a century. Neurology 2007;69:200-213.

[6] ⁶
De Renzi E, Zambolin A, Crisi G. The Pattern of neuropsychological impairment associated with left posterior cerebral artery infarcts. Brain 1987;110:1099-1116.

[7] ⁷
Riddoch MJ, Humphreys, GW. Visual object processing in optic aphasia: a case of semantic access agnosia. Cogn Neuropsychol 1987;4:131-185.

[8] ⁸
De Renzi E. Disorders of visual recognition. Semin Neurol 2000;20:479-486.

[9] ⁹
Gil R. Neuropsicologia. 2ª ed. São Paulo: Livraria Santos Editora Ltda; 2002.

[10] ¹⁰
Mesulan MM. Disorders of complex visual processing in principles of behavioral and cognitive neurology. 2ª ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2000.

[11] ¹¹
Gazzaniga M, Ivry R, Mangun G. Funções perceptivas superiores in neurociência cognitiva: a biologia da mente. 2ª ed. Porto Alegre: Artmed; 2006.

[12] ¹²
Farah MJ. Visual agnosia: disorders of object recognition and what they tell us about normal vision. Cambridge: MIT Press; 1990.

[13] ¹³
Lezak MD. Neuropsychological Assessment. 3ª ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 1995.

[14] ¹⁴
Frota N, Pinto L, Porto C, Águia P, Castro L, Caramelli P. Visual agnosia and prosopagnosia secondary to melanoma metástases. Dement Neuropsychol 2007;1:104-107.

[15] ¹⁵
Chanoine V, Ferreira CT, Demonet JL, Nespoulous, Pocet M. Optic aphasia with pure alexia: a mild form of associative agnosia? A case study. Cortex 1998;34:437-448.

[16] ¹⁶
Kaplan E, Goodglass H, Weintraub S. The Boston Naming Test. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1983.

[17] ¹⁷
Benton AL, Sivan AB, Haqmsher KS, Vaeney NR, Spreen O. Contributions to neuropsychological assessment. New York: Oxford University Press; 1994.

[18] ¹⁸
Strauss E, Sherman EMS, Spreen O. A Compendium of neuropsychological test: administration, norms, and commentary. 3ª ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2006.

[19] ¹⁹
Warrington EK, James M. The visual object and space perception battery. Suffolk: Thames Valley Test Company; 1991.

[20] ²⁰
Hooper HE. The Hooper visual organization test: Manual. Beverly Hills, California: Western Phychological Services; 1958.

[21] ²¹
Nascimento EN. Adaptação e validação do teste WAIS III para o contexto brasileiro.Tese. Brasília: Instituto de Psicologia da Universidade de Brasília; 2000.

[22] ²²
Ringe WK, Saine KC, Lacritz LH, Hynan LS, Cullum CM. Dyatic short forms of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III. Assessment 2002;9:254-260.

[23] ²³
Brandt J, Benedict RHB. Hopkins verbal learning test- revised. Odessa: Psychological assessment resource; 2001.

[24] ²⁴
Benedict RHB. Brief visualspatial memory test-revised. Odessa: Psychological Assessment Resource; 1997.

[25] ²⁵
Warrington EK. The Camden memory tests. Hove (UK): Psychology Press; 1996.

[26] ²⁶
Nelson HE. A modified card sorting test sensitive to frontal lobe defects. Cortex. 1976;12:313-24.

[27] ²⁷
Terman LM, Merril MA. The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Form L-M. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Co; 1973

[28] ²⁸
Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. Mini-mental state: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatric Res 1975;12:189-98.

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