Alexia Without Agraphia: A Rare Entity.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Pure alexia is an acquired reading disorder resulting from damage to the dominant hemisphere's medial occipitotemporal gyrus, known as the visual word form area (VWFA).
• Alexia without agraphia specifically involves a disconnection syndrome, often due to damage to the splenium of the corpus callosum alongside the occipital lobe.

Observation:

• A 72-year-old right-handed male presented with alexia without agraphia and right homonymous hemianopia.
• The patient exhibited significant reading impairment despite normal visual acuity.
• Neurological imaging revealed an acute infarct in the left occipital lobe, splenium of the corpus callosum, and posterior thalamus, consistent with left posterior cerebral artery (PCA) territory infarct.

Findings:

• The infarct disrupted the left occipital lobe's visual word form area (VWFA), crucial for rapid word recognition.
• The findings support the link between VWFA integrity and fluent reading capabilities.
• The case illustrates alexia without agraphia as a disconnection syndrome resulting from specific cerebrovascular events.

Implications:

• This case underscores the critical role of the dominant occipital lobe and its connections in reading.
• Understanding these specific lesion patterns aids in diagnosing and managing alexia.
• Further research into VWFA function can inform therapeutic strategies for reading disorders.