Emeritus Consultant Neurologist, Department of Neurology, Hull Royal Infirmary, UK.
Amusia appears primarily as a defect in processing pitch. The deficit extends to musical memory and recognition, singing and timing of music. Clinical studies of acquired brain lesions show that dysphasia is not necessarily accompanied by amusia, and acquired amusia without aphasia has been reported. These dissociations suggest some degree of autonomy in the function of these mechanisms. Copyright 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.