Different levels of implicit emotional recognition in posterior cortical atrophy (PCA)

Abstract

Previous single-case reports in posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) have shown preserved nonconscious visual recognition despite the absence of explicit recognition. In this study, we investigated three levels of visual recognition in both a female patient with PCA and a control group during the presentation of neutral, positive, and negative affective stimuli. Our results confirmed the profile of impaired explicit recognition and intact psychophysiological responses in the patient. In addition, she was able to implicitly recognize the valence and intensity of arousal of these stimuli. We suggest that implicit emotional awareness may mediates explicit and psychophysiological recognition in PCA.

Keywords:

• posterior cortical atrophy
• simultagnosia
• emotional recognition
• skin conductance response
• implicit awareness

Additional information

Funding

This work was partially supported by grants from CONICET, CONICYT/FONDECYT Regular [grant numbers 1130920 and 1140114], FONCyT-PICT 2012-0412, FONCyT-PICT 2012-1309, the INECO Foundation, and PROMOS Scholarship for Internships abroad (University of Leipzig).