Beyond recognition
Face blindness, also known as prosopagnosia, affects many people from birth and is typically a problem for the majority, if not the entirety, of a person’s life. It can also appear gradually or abruptly.
Following Brad Pitt’s claims that he suffers from “undiagnosed face-blindness,” which makes it difficult for him to “remember people” after meeting them at social gatherings, another actor, Shenaz Treasury, revealed on her Instagram story that she has prosopagnosia.
“Now I understand why I’ve never been able to match faces. I’ve always felt so ashamed that I mix up people and can’t recognise faces of people – even close friends if I see after a few years, I can’t recognise them. This is a real brain issue. Please be kind and understand,” she wrote.
WHY ARE SOME OF US SO BAD AT RECOGNISING FACES?
Prosopagnosia is the name of the neurological disorder which is responsible for the difficulty. “Prosopagnosia, which derives from the Greek words for “face” and “lack of knowledge”, is unrelated to memory dysfunction, memory loss, impaired vision, or learning disabilities. This was famously described in neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks’ book The Man
Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat,” says Dr Praveen Kumar Yada, consultant Neurologist at KIMS Hospitals.
“We recently met a lady who thought her grandchildren looked odd – like cartoon characters with big faces and narrow bodies. She was found to have suffered a type of fit and with medication, the cartoons became her grandchildren again!” says Dr. Praveen.
The part of the brain responsible for such recognition is the Fusiform Gyrus, and any clot, epileptic episode or other problem affecting it can result in face blindness, explains Dr. Praveen. “People are embarrassed or fear that the doctor will not believe them, so they are hesitant to speak up. However, once they see a neurologist, a diagnosis can be made and appropriate treatment can be provided,” he adds.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE FACE BLIND?
PROSOPAGNOSIA, WHICH DERIVES FROM THE GREEK WORDS FOR “FACE” AND “LACK OF KNOWLEDGE”, IS UNRELATED TO MEMORY DYSFUNCTION, MEMORY LOSS, IMPAIRED VISION, OR LEARNING DISABILITIES. THIS WAS FAMOUSLY DESCRIBED IN NEUROLOGIST DR. OLIVER SACKS’ BOOK THE MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS WIFE FOR A HAT. PEOPLE ARE EMBARRASSED OR FEAR THAT THE DOCTOR WILL NOT BELIEVE THEM, SO THEY ARE HESITANT TO SPEAK UP.
— DR PRAVEEN KUMAR YADA, Neurologist at KIMS Hospitals
consultant
CHILDREN WITH THIS ISSUE MAY STRUGGLE TO
MAKE FRIENDS AND MAY BECOME ANXIOUS OR WITHDRAWN AS A RESULT. SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE TROUBLE RECOGNISING OBJECTS, PLACES OR BUILDINGS. PEOPLE WITH FACE BLINDNESS MAY HAVE A GOOD MEMORY, COMMUNICATE WELL, AND BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THEIR ACTIVITIES. MANAGEMENT WILL BENEFIT FROM EARLY DETECTION.
ACTOR SHENAZ TREASURY, REVEALED ON HER INSTAGRAM STORY THAT SHE HAS PROSOPAGNOSIA. “NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY I’VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MATCH FACES. I’VE ALWAYS FELT SO ASHAMED THAT I MIX UP PEOPLE AND CAN’T RECOGNISE FACES OF PEOPLE – EVEN CLOSE FRIENDS IF I SEE AFTER A FEW YEARS, I CAN’T RECOGNISE THEM. THIS IS A REAL BRAIN ISSUE. PLEASE BE KIND AND UNDERSTAND,” SHE WROTE.
— DR JAYDIP RAY CHAUDHURI,
Senior Neuro Physician, Yashoda
Hospitals