Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Gerstmann Syndromeis not the name you expected.
General Discussion
Gerstmann syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that can occur as the result of a brain injury or as a developmental disorder. The syndrome is characterized by the loss or absence of four cognitive abilities- the loss of the ability to express thoughts in writing (agraphia, dysgraphia), to perform simple arithmetic problems (acalculia), to recognize or indicate one’s own or another’s fingers (finger agnosia), and to distinguish between the right and left sides of one’s body. Additional cognitive defects may occur in some cases.
The disorder has not been found to run in families. In extremely rare cases, children who are bright and functioning intellectually at a high level may be affected by the disorder as well as those who suffer brain damage.
Gerstmann syndrome is different from Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome, a rare genetic degenerative brain disorder.
Resources
National Center for Learning Disabilities
381 Park Avenue South
#1401
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212)545-7510
Fax: (212)545-9665
Tel: (888)575-7373
Email: help@ncld.org
Internet: http://www.ld.org
Learning Disabilities Association of America
4156 Library Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15234-1349
Tel: (412)341-1515
Fax: (412)344-0224
Tel: (888)300-6710
Email: info@ldaamerica.org
Internet: http://www.ldaamerica.org
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
10801 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
United States
Tel: 8003212742
Fax: 3015710457
Tel: 8003212742
TDD: 3018975700
Email: actioncenter@asha.org
Internet: http://www.asha.org
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
31 Center Drive
8A07
Bethesda, MD 20892-2540
Tel: (301)496-5751
Fax: (301)402-2186
Tel: (800)352-9424
Email: braininfo@ninds.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay, WI 54301-1243
USA
Tel: 9203365333
Fax: 9203390995
Tel: 8773365333
Email: mums@netnet.net
Internet: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
For a Complete Report
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.
It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org
Last Updated: 3/27/2008
Copyright 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
