Dr. Kaustubh Mahajan, Consultant Neurologist, SL Raheja Hospital, Mumbai, explains the causes, symptoms, and available treatment methods for Prosopagnosia.
Prosopagnosia is a disorder in which one is not able to identify a person. They are unaware or do not have the ability to remember or recollect known faces and, hence, their brain acts indifferent towards the ones they know. Some may even not be able to recognise their own face. While this may sound bizarre, the condition is not rare and affects *two per cent of people. Also, it is known that *one in 50 people suffer from some level of prosopagnosia.
In this disorder, a part of the temporal lobe is affected. This part of the brain is used for facial memory and perception. This condition is not caused by memory loss, vision loss or any other disability. Prosopagnosia is caused due to the following reasons: 1. A block in the brain 2. Injury that caused damage 3. A result of abnormalities
While the most common symptom of prosopagnosia is the inability to recognise known faces, there are different levels at which the person’s ability to identify people might differ. Symptoms Of Minor Face Blindness Someone who is affected with minor face blindness might find it difficult to identify or even differentiate between faces they know against the ones they have never seen before.
Symptoms Of Moderate To Severe Face Blindness The individual with moderate to severe prosopagnosia may not recognise faces of their family members, co-workers, neighbours, etc. – faces they see regularly. 1. When you see or meet someone, you try to remember their distinctive feature rather than the face 2. You wait for a person to wave or greet first, even if you have plans of meeting them as you are not able to put a face to the name 3. Approach strangers thinking you know them 4. One can become withdrawn in public places 5. Not able to enjoy a movie or show as unable to follow the plot of characters 6. Find it difficult to make friends 7. Feel withdrawn at work, school, college etc. but confident at home