A case of 'task-switching acalculia'

In this study we describe a patient (FR) with left frontal lesions due to a cerebrovascular disorder of embolic origin. Beyond a general slowness, FR showed deficits in simple multiplication only when problems were presented in a mixed operations list (multiplication, addition, and subtraction), while no such deficits were observed for the same multiplication problems in blocked presentation. Deficits were restricted to trials directly affected by a switch (increased switch costs), but not to subsequent trials (no increased mixing costs). Thus, we provide the first detailed description of a condition which could be termed 'task-switching acalculia' in a stroke patient. This case highlights the need for mixed operation lists in the diagnosis of acalculia.