Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
Volume 116, Issue 5, Pages 653-663Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/00207450600592206
Keywords
agraphia; dysexecutive syndrome; executive functions; frontal syndrome
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Different types of writing disorders associated with brain pathology have been described. Limited mention the writing disturbances associated with prefrontal pathology, however, is found. Clinical observations of patients not only with focal prefrontal pathology but also with other conditions affecting the frontal system ( e. g., traumatic head injury, dementia) confirm the assumption that these patients present an overt decrease in the ability to express ideas in writing. It is proposed that complex aspects of writing, such as planning, narrative coherence, and maintained attention, are significantly disturbed in cases of impairments of executive functions. Frontal lobe patients not only have difficulties in keeping the effort required for writing, but also to organize the ideas in the written texts. The term dysexecutive agraphia is proposed to refer to this writing disorder. Three illustrative cases are presented. It is finally suggested that questions regarding the ability to write should be included in dementia questionnaires and executive functioning testing.
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