Professional
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
anosognosia
Pronunciation: an-oh-sog-NO-zhuh
Lack of awareness or insight into one's own neurological or psychiatric deficits.
Full Definition
Anosognosia is a neuropsychological condition in which patients demonstrate a profound lack of awareness or denial of their own neurological or psychiatric symptoms. This phenomenon is commonly observed in stroke patients who deny paralysis, individuals with dementia who are unaware of cognitive decline, and psychiatric patients who lack insight into their mental illness. Anosognosia results from specific brain lesions or dysfunction and significantly impacts treatment compliance and rehabilitation outcomes.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from psychological denial, which is conscious; anosognosia is neurologically based unawareness.
In Context
- "The stroke patient's anosognosia made rehabilitation challenging as she insisted her left arm was functional." — Neuropsychological assessment
- "Anosognosia in schizophrenia patients correlates with poor medication adherence and increased relapse rates." — Research article
Also known as
lack of insight
unawareness of deficit
Contrasted with
insight
self-awareness
Don't confuse with
denial
confabulation