A Rare Case of Prosopagnosia Related to Intracranial Hemorrhage

Prosopagnosia describes the inability to recognize others by their faces, which may be hereditary or acquired. Acquired cases result from intracranial lesions such as intracranial hemorrhage or ischemia. This case demonstrates acquired prosopagnosia secondary to an intracranial hemorrhage and thus exemplifies the importance of early symptom recognition for appropriate diagnosis and management. A 58-year-old female presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of the worst headache of her life along with nausea and vomiting. She also reported that she was unable to recognize her children in photos and although she knew her husband was with her, she did not recognize his face. Physical examination revealed no focal motor deficits. Computed tomography angiography of the brain revealed intracerebral hemorrhage of the right occipital lobe. Acquired prosopagnosia can be the only presenting symptom of intracranial pathology. It is most commonly caused by intracranial hemorrhage, as shown in this case report. This demonstrates a unique symptom of posterior circulation strokes that are commonly misdiagnosed in the emergency department.