Two cases of cortical deafness & auditory agnosia with bilateral temporal lesions

Abstract

Two cases were admitted to our hospital with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage. They had a past history of opposite temporal lobe lesions. The ABR was normal in both cases, and initially we thought they were in a sensory aphasic state. Later we reached a diagnosis of cortical deafness. Cortical deafness or auditory agnosia are caused by disturbance of the bilateral temporal lobes such as internal geniculate bodies, auditory radiations and Heschl’s transverse gyri. They may behave as deaf, or aphasic. This condition generally develops by opposite cerebral damage after other temporal lesions. “Auditory agnosia” is well known in textbooks. But we hardly experience such cases in daily clinical practice. We should pay attention to this clinical entity.