2 RHD

Ability to recognize faces is important in

discriminating familiar/non-familiar faces

b/c emotions are displayed on left side of face; individuals with right hemisphere deficits may display

a flat affect and reduced facial expression

Inability to process the emotions expressed by facial expressions restricts individuals to

a less informed and more literal interpretation

Facial expression may be used to reinforce or alter the meaning of

verbal utterances

Damage to visual association areas in occipital lobe that are used to process/interpret

visual info from the eyes

Prosopagnosia

Ability to process visual information of facial features and spatial relationships is a refined skill that can be lost

visual agnosia is due to damage in the

Central Nervous System not damage to the optic nerve or eyes

Social interactions may be difficult if an individual is unable to

correctly use his face to express his own emotions

Prosopagnosia is not due to

difficulty with the eyes but with the brain

Damage to right hemisphere limits

expressivity on the left side of the face, the most expressive portion of the face

RH allows us to evaluate

facial expressions

Those with right hemisphere deficits are less able to interpret

facial expressions and identify emotions conveyed on the faces of speakers

prosopagnosia is also called

facial recognition

Prosopagnosia

inability to recognize faces in the absence of other visual agnosia

Visual agnosia

is the inability to perceive visual stimuli

Prosodic deficits include

linguistic (language) and prosody (pitch, stress, intonation)

Individuals with prosopagnosia are able to recognize

other objects, just not faces

Individuals with prosopagnosia may not recognize

others visually by their face, but they may recognize them by voice, smell, clothing, or other distinctive features

Right hemisphere controls

the left side of face

More emotional expression is displayed on

the left side of the face than on the right side