Gerstmann syndrome

Gerstmann syndrome is a neurological disorder that is characterized by a constellation of symptoms that suggests the presence of a lesion usually near the junction of the temporal and parietal lobes at or near the angular gyrus. Gerstmann syndrome is typically associated with damage to the inferior parietal lobule of the dominant hemisphere. It is classically considered a left-hemisphere disorder, although right-hemisphere damage has also been associated with components of the syndrome.

It is named after Jewish Austrian-born American neurologist Josef Gerstmann.

Symptoms

Gerstmann syndrome is characterized by four primary symptoms, collectively referred to as a tetrad:

Dysgraphia/agraphia: deficiency in the ability to write

Dyscalculia/acalculia: difficulty in learning or comprehending mathematics

Finger agnosia: inability to distinguish the fingers on the hand

Left-right disorientation

Causes

This disorder is often associated with brain lesions in the dominant (usually left) hemisphere including the angular and supramarginal gyri (Brodmann area 39 and 40 respectively) near the temporal and parietal lobe junction. There is significant debate in the scientific literature as to whether Gerstmann syndrome truly represents a unified, theoretically motivated syndrome. Thus its diagnostic utility has been questioned by neurologists and neuropsychologists alike. The angular gyrus is generally involved in translating visual patterns of letters and words into meaningful information, such as is done while reading.

In adults

In adults, the syndrome may occur after a stroke. In addition to exhibiting the above symptoms, many adults also experience dysphasia or aphasia, which is difficulty in expressing oneself when speaking, in understanding speech, or in reading and writing.