Anosognosia in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Anosognosia is a complex condition characterized by a person's inability to recognize their own illness or disability. This lack of awareness can occur in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, leading to significant challenges in treatment and care. It is most commonly observed in conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

In neurological contexts, Anosognosia may affect awareness for specific neurological/neuropsychological deficits. For instance, patients with right hemisphere strokes may exhibit Anosognosia for hemiplegia, where they are unaware of their paralysis on one side of the body, and individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia may fail to recognize their cognitive deficits. Similarly, individuals with Wernicke's aphasia who have difficulty understanding spoken language may not be aware of their deficits.

In psychiatric disorders, Anosognosia can manifest as a lack of insight into one’s mental health condition, which significantly impedes treatment adherence and overall prognosis. For instance, individuals with schizophrenia may not recognize their hallucinations or delusions as symptoms of their illness, and people with bipolar disorder might not acknowledge their manic or depressive episodes.

The primary goal of this Research Topic is to enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, clinical manifestations, and treatment approaches for Anosognosia. By compiling diverse perspectives and findings, we aim to explore the current knowledge and foster interdisciplinary collaboration to explore the possibility of constructing a theoretical model of anosognosia for the understanding of this symptom in both neurological and psychiatric diseases. Ultimately, this will contribute to improve diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions, and by highlighting novel approaches, we can work towards better patient care and outcomes.
This Research Topic welcomes all article types accepted by the journal pertaining, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Anosognosia for neurological symptoms like motor and sensory deficits following stroke
• Brain regions involved in self-awareness and their role in Anosognosia
• Neuroimaging and psychophysiological studies highlighting structural and functional abnormalities associated with anosognosia
• The role of neural plasticity in Anosognosia development and recovery
• Anosognosia in specific neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
• Anosognosia in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
• Comparative analyses of Anosognosia across different neurological and psychiatric conditions
• Diagnostic and assessment tools for Anosognosia
• Rehabilitation and pharmacological interventions

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: anosognosia, hemiplegia, blindness, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, awareness impairment, Parkinson's, self-awareness, Wernicke's Aphasia, Bipolar Disorder

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.