PSYC 311 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: Posterior Parietal Cortex, Spasm, Agnosia

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 311
• Professor: Michalakis Petrides

Document Summary

This syndrome is generally considered to involve 3 components: gaze apraxia, spatial restriction of attention, optic ataxia. The true syndrome contains all 3 components, but there have been cases of only partial forms of this syndrome, in which the symptoms occur in isolation or in modified form. The full syndrome affects the subject bilaterally and involves lesion to the parietal or parieto-occipital region. Can be caused by gunshot wound or infarction (loss of blood flow due to stroke) in the posterior region of the brain --> associated with severe hypotension: gaze apraxia. An inability to shift the gaze so as to bring peripherally exposed stimuli into fixation. The gaze wanders aimlessly until the target object is located and there may be difficulty maintaining fixation once it is acquired. Thus, perhaps this disorder reflects inadequate specification of the position of the stimulus by the visual system: restriction of attention.