What is Prosopagnosia?

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Prosopagnosia is aneurological conditionthat makes it difficult to recognize people’s faces. It’s also known as face blindness or facial agnosia.

Depending on its severity, it may cause a person to either find it tricky to recognize faces or make it impossible for a person to distinguish one face from another. In some instances, a person might be unable to distinguish between a face and an inanimate object or recognize their face in a mirror.

People with this condition cannot identify the faces of even their closest family and friends.Prosopagnosia falls under an umbrella condition known as agnosias. Agnosias are conditions that affect the way your brain processes sensory information. Some reports estimate that about 2.4% of the global population live with this condition.

Symptoms of Prosopagnosia

Diagnosis of Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia is rather challenging to diagnose. If your doctor suspects you have the condition, you’ll undergo a series of neurological examinations to confirm the diagnosis. This is typically done after a detailed account of your medical and family history has been taken. Neurological exams that may be done include:

Other tests that may be conducted include:

Causes of Prosopagnosia

It’s a little unclear what exactly causes prosopagnosia. What is known is that the condition isn’t linked to memory loss or vision impairments. Researchers have identified that the right fusiform gyrus, which is a fold in the brain responsible for memory andfacial perception,is impaired in the brains of people with some form of this condition.

Prosopagnosia has also been linked to developmental conditions such asAsperger’s syndromeandautism. Some people with these conditions could experience face blindness to a certain degree.

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Types of Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia can be categorized either based on its cause or its symptoms. The two forms of the disorder based on symptoms are:

On the other hand, when classified according to what triggers its development, prosopagnosia can be categorized into:

Treatment for Prosopagnosia

There is no known cure for prosopagnosia. The good news is that treatment can help a person with this disorder develop coping strategies. These strategies aim to equip you with tools to recognize people with other features such as their voice or gait.

The drawback with these strategies is that when a person with prosopagnosia is in an unfamiliar environment, they might not always work. In some cases of acquired prosopagnosia, treating the underlying condition may help alleviate symptoms of prosopagnosia.

Coping with Prosopagnosia

If you weren’t born with this condition, you might find coping with prosopagnosia challenging. Sometimes, people don’t even realize they have the disorder until they go for a consultation. In many cases of the condition, you can expect to live with it for the rest of your life.

The good news is that the disorder doesn’t cause any physical health complications. It can, however, take a toll on your mental health. Many people with prosopagnosia report feeling frustrated, ashamed, anxious, or angry about their condition.

This often causes self-isolation andsocial anxiety. If you are experiencing any of these signs, it’s essential to talk to a healthcare professional who can help you work through your feelings and help you adopt a more positive outlook.

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7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Prosopagnosia. July 25, 2022Kennerknecht I, Grueter T, Welling B, et al.First report of prevalence of non-syndromic hereditary prosopagnosia (Hpa). Am J Med Genet. 2006;140A(15):1617-1622.Prosopagnosia Research Center. Understanding Prosopagnosia.Cleveland Clinic.Face blindness(Prosopagnosia).July 7, 2022Koh YH.Right fusiform gyrus infarct with acute prosopagnosia.Acta Neurol Taiwan. 2022;31(4):186-187.The University of Western Australia.Prosopagnosia Research.Dalrymple KA, Corrow S, Yonas A, Duchaine B.Developmental prosopagnosia in childhood.Cognitive Neuropsychology. 2012;29(5-6):393-418.

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Prosopagnosia. July 25, 2022Kennerknecht I, Grueter T, Welling B, et al.First report of prevalence of non-syndromic hereditary prosopagnosia (Hpa). Am J Med Genet. 2006;140A(15):1617-1622.Prosopagnosia Research Center. Understanding Prosopagnosia.Cleveland Clinic.Face blindness(Prosopagnosia).July 7, 2022Koh YH.Right fusiform gyrus infarct with acute prosopagnosia.Acta Neurol Taiwan. 2022;31(4):186-187.The University of Western Australia.Prosopagnosia Research.Dalrymple KA, Corrow S, Yonas A, Duchaine B.Developmental prosopagnosia in childhood.Cognitive Neuropsychology. 2012;29(5-6):393-418.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Prosopagnosia. July 25, 2022Kennerknecht I, Grueter T, Welling B, et al.First report of prevalence of non-syndromic hereditary prosopagnosia (Hpa). Am J Med Genet. 2006;140A(15):1617-1622.Prosopagnosia Research Center. Understanding Prosopagnosia.Cleveland Clinic.Face blindness(Prosopagnosia).July 7, 2022Koh YH.Right fusiform gyrus infarct with acute prosopagnosia.Acta Neurol Taiwan. 2022;31(4):186-187.The University of Western Australia.Prosopagnosia Research.Dalrymple KA, Corrow S, Yonas A, Duchaine B.Developmental prosopagnosia in childhood.Cognitive Neuropsychology. 2012;29(5-6):393-418.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Prosopagnosia. July 25, 2022

Kennerknecht I, Grueter T, Welling B, et al.First report of prevalence of non-syndromic hereditary prosopagnosia (Hpa). Am J Med Genet. 2006;140A(15):1617-1622.

Cleveland Clinic.Face blindness(Prosopagnosia).July 7, 2022

Koh YH.Right fusiform gyrus infarct with acute prosopagnosia.Acta Neurol Taiwan. 2022;31(4):186-187.

The University of Western Australia.Prosopagnosia Research.

Dalrymple KA, Corrow S, Yonas A, Duchaine B.Developmental prosopagnosia in childhood.Cognitive Neuropsychology. 2012;29(5-6):393-418.

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