Balint's syndrome--visual disorientation
Udesen, H.; Madsen, A.L.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 154(21): 1492-1494
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 1598720 Document Number: 395541
The three major components of the Balint's syndrome are described: 1) visual disorientation or simultanagnosia, i.e. the inability to perceive the visual field as a whole, 2) ocular apraxia, a deficit of visual scanning and 3) optic ataxia, an impairment of pointing and reaching under visual guidance. Our description of the syndrome is illustrated by three case histories. The complete syndrome is rare, and partial syndromes have been reported more frequently. Sudden and severe hypotension resulting in bilateral borderzone infarction in the occipito-parietal region is reported to be the most frequent cause of complete Balint's syndrome. Lack of awareness of the syndrome may lead to misdiagnosis such as blindness, psychosis, or dementia.