Alexia and agraphia of kana and kanji: Why patients with alexia can read kana words but not kana single letters?

-on the occasion of the 15^th Neuropsychological Association of Japan Best Paper award-

Abstract

We first reviewed previous research about alexia and agraphia of kana and kanji and highlighted the reading and writing disorders related to Japanese letter properties. Next, we referred the awarded article, which reported a case of a retired accountant who developed alexia specific to single kana (syllabogram) letters after a cerebral infarction in the left medial occipitotemporal region. Finally, we established a neuropsychological role in rehabilitation for alexia and agraphia.