BrainWaves #177 Agnosia

MedLink Neurology Podcast is delighted to feature selected episodes from BrainWaves, courtesy of James E Siegler MD, its originator and host. BrainWaves is an academic audio podcast whose mission is to educate medical providers through clinical cases and topical reviews in neurology, medicine, and the humanities, and episodes originally aired from 2016 to 2021.

Originally released: January 28, 2021

To quote Donald Rumsfeld, “there are things we know we know…. we know there are some things we do not know... But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know…it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult ones.”

In neurology, the agnosias are not that dissimilar from Rumsfeld’s 'unknown unknowns.' In this week’s program, we discuss the nosology and nomenclature for the agnosias, the localization, and the importance of recognizing one.

Produced by James E Siegler. Music courtesy of Dr. Turtle, Grossman, Ewell and Grainger, Marco Trovatelli, and Purple Planet Music. The opening theme was composed by Jimothy Dalton. Sound effects by Mike Koenig and Daniel Simion. Unless otherwise mentioned in the podcast, no competing financial interests exist in the content of this episode. BrainWaves' podcasts and online content are intended for medical education only and should not be used for clinical decision-making. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @BrainWavesaudio for the latest updates to the podcast.

REFERENCES

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Coslett HB. Apraxia, neglect, and agnosia. Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2018;24(3, Behavioral Neurology And Psychiatry):768-82. PMID 29851877

Dhont S, Derom E, Van Braeckel E, Depuydt P, Lambrecht BN. The pathophysiology of 'happy' hypoxemia in COVID-19. Respir Res 2020;21(1):198. PMID 32723327

Li YC, Bai WZ, Hashikawa T. The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2 may play a role in the respiratory failure of COVID-19 patients. J Med Virol 2020;92(6):552-55. PMID 32104915

Matschke J, Lütgehetmann M, Hagel C, et al. Neuropathology of patients with COVID-19 in Germany: a post-mortem case series. Lancet Neurol 2020;19(11):919-29. PMID 33031735

Milner AD, Perrett DI, Johnston RS, et al. Perception and action in 'visual form agnosia'. Brain 1991;114 (Pt 1B):405-28. PMID 2004249

Zeki S, Ffytche DH. The Riddoch syndrome: insights into the neurobiology of conscious vision. Brain 1998;121 (Pt 1):25-45. PMID 9549486

We believe that the principles expressed or implied in the podcast remain valid, but certain details may be superseded by evolving knowledge since the episode’s original release date.