A cortically blind patient with preserved visual imagery

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The loss or preservation of visual imagery in patients with cortical blindness may be helpful in resolving the controversial roles assigned by some researchers to the early visual cortex during the process of visual imagery. PATIENT AND METHODS: Here we report a patient with complete permanent cortical blindness coupled with denial of the blindness (Anton syndrome) as a result of bilateral occipital infarction. RESULTS: Interestingly, the patient's ability to visualize objects, color, and spatial imagery was preserved, although cerebral computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography scans detected what was likely complete bilateral damage to the primary visual cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings may support the hypothesis that the primary visual cortex, in which retinal spatial geometry is preserved, is not critical for visual imagery. Copyright © 2010 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.