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Progressive agraphia, acalculia, and anomia: a single case report
Alfredo Ardila1, Esmeralda Matute, Olga V Inozemtseva
1Communication Sciences and Disorders, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33182, USA. alfredoardila@cs.com
Applied Neuropsychology
|December 24, 2003
Summary
This case study details a woman with progressive cognitive decline, starting with writing impairments and later developing Alzheimer's-type dementia. It highlights the spread of neurological deficits over time.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neurology
Background:
- This report details a unique case of a 50-year-old Spanish-speaking woman experiencing progressive cognitive changes.
- The initial presentation involved a gradual decline in writing abilities, accompanied by acalculia and anomia.
Observation:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed left parietal-temporal atrophy.
- Over two years, the patient exhibited significant cognitive decline, diagnosed as dementia of the Alzheimer's type, with amnesia, executive dysfunction, and ideomotor apraxia.
- While writing and reading abilities deteriorated, spatial orientation and copying skills remained relatively preserved initially.
Findings:
- A subsequent MRI showed advanced brain atrophy.
- The patient became unable to perform spontaneous or dictated writing.
- Word reading was preserved, but pseudoword reading ability was lost, with noted changes in calligraphy.
Implications:
- This case illustrates the progression of focal cognitive deficits and the subsequent spread of neurological abnormalities.
- It provides insights into the differential impact of neurodegeneration on various cognitive domains, particularly written language and spatial abilities.