Prosopagnosia

Abstract

Three patients with prosopagnosia, and acquired inability to recognize familiar faces usually resulting from cerebrovascular insufficiency, had left-sided visual field defects and color vision abnormalities of central origin. Prosopagnosia, although clinically associated with posterior right hemispheric disease in most cases, represents a disconnection of both occipital poles from the final processing center for facial recognition in the right temporal lobe. This problem can profoundly affect everyday activities requiring visual recognition.