Face recognition is difficult for those with prosopagnosia, even those they know well. This can be caused by a number of things, such as brain damage, genetic predisposition, or even not using the capacity to recognize faces frequently enough. Depending on the underlying reason for prosopagnosia, many therapies are possible.
There is no proof that Asperger Syndrome causes intellectual difficulties, visual issues, or memory loss. It is different, according to Blum, from forgetting or occasionally having problems finding the right term.
Prosopagnosia can range in intensity from one individual to another. Some people could have trouble recognizing close friends and family, while others might have difficulty telling faces from objects. As a result of their prosopagnosia, some sufferers of the disorder may also experience anxiety or depression. The syndrome is frequently associated with loneliness and fear.
Some prosopagnosics may find it challenging to engage in basic social interactions because they avoid their loved ones and close friends. This is because they are concerned that they won’t be able to recognize or identify them meaningfully.
Pitt has long discussed his difficulties with facial recognition. Although prosopagnosia has never received a formal diagnosis, he has acknowledged that it is a persistent problem. In a 2013 interview, Pitt said he frequently feels the need to keep his distance from people since it is challenging to identify their faces. He mentioned that he has always had this issue and has had to adjust to living with it.
Face recognition issues can be inherited or acquired. According to research, acquired prosopagnosia is more common than inherited prosopagnosia. Most of those diagnosed with it fall into one of these two groups, but experts believe that as many as 1 in 50 people could live their entire lives with the condition. It has been suggested that the condition may run in families.
Hereditary prosopagnosia sufferers don’t appear to have any obvious anatomical brain abnormalities. Medical experts aren’t precisely clear on what causes the disease, though. A traumatic event or head injury may have caused brain anomalies in people who develop prosopagnosia later in life. Prosopagnosia can also occur after a stroke or in those dealing with Alzheimer’s disease.
Prosopagnosia is currently not treatable in any particular way. There are, however, methods for getting around the problem. People with prosopagnosia frequently concentrate on other physical characteristics, such as voice, posture, or hair color, to distinguish between people.
After a series of tests that evaluate a person’s memory and facial recognition skills, many neurologists make a diagnosis. However, because doctors frequently take care to make sure the patient does not have a more serious degenerative neurological disorder, establishing a patient’s face blindness can be a drawn-out process.