J Korean Neurol Assoc.  1997 Apr;15(2):377-381.

A case of pure word deafness

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Korea.

Abstract

Pure word deafness refers to an inability to understand spoken language with relatively normal reading, writing and speaking as well as comprehension of nonverbal sounds. We report a case of 36 year-old right-handed man with a mitral valve prolapse who presented with a pure word deafness following bilateral primary auditory cortical infarction. The auditory deficit was specific for spoken language, while recognition of non-verbal sounds was normal. Pure tone threshold audiometry revealed mild sensorineural loss up to 2000 Hz and a moderate high frequency loss. Brainstem auditory evoked potentials were normal. Brain MRI showed that the infarction was confined to bilateral superior temporal gyri including primary auditory cortex.


MeSH Terms

Adult
Audiometry
Auditory Cortex
Brain
Comprehension
Deafness*
Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem
Humans
Infarction
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Writing
Full Text Links
  • JKNA
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr