ON ANOSOGNOSIA

A 64-year-old male patient became totally blind following a cerebral vascular accident; there was no paralysis. He presented a Korsakow type of psychosis and a persistent anosognosia for his blindness. Despite the presence of optic atrophy it was assumed that the blindness was "essentially" of central origin. It was felt that the anosognosia as such was the result of the diffuse cortical disease and that a "functional" localization was more appropriate than a "topographic" one. It is also our opinion that this hypothesis applies particularly to cases of anosognosia for blindness and not to those who show anosognosia for a defect that involves the postural model of the body.