Abstract

PEREIRA, Natalie; PEREIRA, Andressa H.; REBOUCAS, Ricardo G.  and  ZIMMERMANN, Nicolle. Relationship between anosognosia and executive dysfunction: a post-traumatic brain injury case study. Neuropsicologia Latinoamericana [online]. 2012, vol.4, n.3, pp. 53-62. ISSN 2075-9479.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients can present different cognitive impairments. In addition, anosognosia, a cognitive self-awareness deficit, is also prevalent. Executive functions are known as mediators of metacognitive processes necessary to cognitive self-awareness abilities. However, the relationship between executive dysfunction and anosgonosia has not yet been suficiently established. Therefore, this study aims to present a case of a severe TBI adult patient (with frontal damage) and to verify associations or dissociations between self-awareness and executive components. For neuropsychological assessment, the Patient Competency Rating Scale (patient and relative versions) and a battery of memory and executive functions tests. Results indicate association between impairments of self-awareness and executive functions, and partially with memory components. Executive components of planning, inhibition, cognitive flexibility and processing speed; and episodic, prospective and working memory were impaired. Findings indicate that not only self-monitoring and metacognition can be underlying the self-awareness of performance in daily living; other executive components can be also related to anosognosia occurance.

Keywords : Traumatic brain injury; Executive functions; Anosognosia; Case study.

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