The selective impairment of arithmetical procedures

Cortex. 2002 Sep;38(4):569-87. doi: 10.1016/s0010-9452(08)70023-6.

Abstract

The theoretical distinction between arithmetic facts and procedures was first made by Groen and Parkman (1972). This was confirmed with a neuropsychological single case described by Warrington (1982) who had impaired arithmetical facts but well preserved arithmetical procedures. Since this time there have been several patients described who showed a selective impairment of arithmetic facts. There have also been reports of cases with impaired arithmetical procedures. However, there has not yet been a case reported with the selective impairment of procedures in the context of intact arithmetic facts. This paper describes a patient, SR, with probable Alzheimer's dementia who had well preserved addition, multiplication and subtraction facts but who nevertheless had severe difficulties with a range of arithmetical procedures such as multidigit sums, decimals and fractions. The implications of this case for current theoretical models are discussed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
  • Alzheimer Disease / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mathematics*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Problem Solving / physiology*
  • Task Performance and Analysis