Different levels of implicit emotional recognition in posterior cortical atrophy (PCA)

Abstract

Previous single-case reports in posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) have shown preserved nonconscious visual recognition despite the absence of explicit recognition. In this study, we investigated three levels of visual recognition in both a female patient with PCA and a control group during the presentation of neutral, positive, and negative affective stimuli. Our results confirmed the profile of impaired explicit recognition and intact psychophysiological responses in the patient. In addition, she was able to implicitly recognize the valence and intensity of arousal of these stimuli. We suggest that implicit emotional awareness may mediates explicit and psychophysiological recognition in PCA.

Relative preservation of facial expression recognition in posterior cortical atrophy

“…10 In 2015, a report was presented on a woman with PCA who, despite showing decreased explicit visual recognition, retained some implicit awareness of image-associated valence and arousal. 9 We confirmed the relative preservation of FE recognition vs the recognition of FI among patients with PCA, which demonstrated that the difference between these 2 abilities was greater in patients with PCA than in patients with AD or patients with bvFTD. Although the ability to recognize facial identities was lower in patients with PCA than in any other group, the ability to recognize FE did not differ from other patients with dementia, including AD or bvFTD.…”

“…8 Given the presumptive preservation of these pathways in PCA, despite the degeneration of cortical networks for visual processing, single case studies have suggested that recognition of emotionally salient stimuli may be preserved in PCA as in cortically blind patients. 9,10 Herein, we hypothesized that FE recognition would be relatively preserved in PCA (i.e., similar to other groups), compared to both facial identity (FI) recognition and other tests of visual function.…”