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Disturbed perception of colours associated with localized cerebral lesions. By J. C. Meadows (From the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Queen Square, London WCIN 3BG) Brain 1974: 97; 615–632.
Cambridge
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Acquired cerebral achromatopsia is, at best, rare and its existence denied altogether by many authorities: thus Sir Gordon Holmes writing in 1918 and basing his views on ‘a very large number of cases’ considered that ‘isolated loss or dissociation of colour vision is not produced by cerebral lesions’. John Meadows aims to draw attention to evidence that bilateral but relatively discrete brain lesions may in fact lead to impaired colour vision. In discussing patients with acquired cerebral achromatopsia, his focus is on loss or impairment of the ability to distinguish hues or perceive the brightness of colours. For affected individuals, the world is grey and some may struggle with everyday activities through their inability to distinguish colours. But confusion has crept into the literature as a result of failure to distinguish the symptom of colour loss from abnormalities found only on formal testing; inability to name rather than perceive colour;