alexia

n. loss or impairment of the ability to comprehend written or printed words as a result of lesions, stroke, or other forms of neurological damage or disorder. It is generally seen in aphasia but may occur in isolation, in which case it is called pure alexia (or alexia without agraphia or agnosic alexia) and characterized by reading impairment with preserved language production and auditory comprehension. Individuals with pure alexia can also write but are frequently unable to read what they have written (hence it is also called word blindness). See also dyslexia.

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Psychology term of the day

November 17th 2024

entorhinal cortex

a region of cerebral cortex in the ventromedial portion of the temporal lobe. It has reciprocal connections with the hippocampal formation and various other cortical and subcortical structures and is an integral component of the medial temporal lobe memory system. It is also involved in spatial navigation. Lesions in this area are used to study neural plasticity and working memory; they are also seen in temporal lobe epilepsy and the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.