Pure alexia: a case study

Abstract

A single case of pure alexia rehabilitation is described following the parameters of the Cognitive Neuropsychology approach. A detailed evaluation had, as its main objectives, to (1) verify the nature of the reading failures by detecting the spared and impaired memories involved in this task; (2) design the most appropriate therapy; and (3) construct a base line in order to verify the therapy efficacy. The relationship between therapeutic procedures and cognitive modeling allowed us to clarify, during rehabilitation, the nature of the failures of this patient: an irreversible disorder of his literal memories that had a visual origin in spite of a reacquisition of reading abilities by use of kinesthesic memories.