Agnosia can be limited to one sensory modality such as vision or hearing. For example, a person may have difficulty in recognizing an object as a cup or identifying a sound as a cough. Agnosia can result from strokes, dementia, or other neurological disorders. It typically results from damage to specific brain areas in the occipital or parietal lobes of the brain. People with agnosia may retain their cognitive abilities in other areas.
Treatment is generally symptomatic and supportive.
The primary cause of the disorder should be determined in order to treat other problems that may contribute to or result in agnosia. Agnosia can compromise quality of life. National Institutes of Health Bldg. National Institutes of Health Bldg. This fact sheet is in the public domain.