phonagnosia
Pronunciation: fon-ag-NO-zee-ah
Inability to recognize familiar voices despite normal hearing, indicating right hemisphere damage.
Full Definition
Phonagnosia is a rare neurological condition characterized by the inability to recognize familiar voices while maintaining normal hearing and speech comprehension. This auditory agnosia specifically affects voice recognition and is typically associated with right hemisphere lesions, particularly in the superior temporal gyrus and adjacent areas. Patients can understand speech content but cannot identify whether the speaker is familiar or unfamiliar. The condition is often accompanied by other right hemisphere deficits such as prosody recognition difficulties. Phonagnosia represents a specific form of auditory agnosia distinct from general auditory processing disorders.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from general auditory agnosia by testing specifically for voice versus environmental sound recognition.
In Context
- "The patient developed phonagnosia following right temporal stroke, unable to recognize her husband's voice." — Stroke rehabilitation assessment
- "Phonagnosia was documented alongside prosopagnosia in this case of right hemisphere damage." — Neuropsychological evaluation