Disturbance of central vision after carbon monoxide poisoning.
BACKGROUND
Cerebral achromatopsia is a disturbance of colour perception which may be complete or partial.


METHODS
A 28-year-old male patient presented five months after carbon monoxide poisoning with achromatopsia. The achromatopsia was unaccompanied by an inability to recognise faces (prosopagnosia) nor was there any disorder of form or depth perception.


RESULTS
Magnetic resonance imaging showed bilateral sharply defied areas of haemorrhagic infarction in the globus pallidus with extensive infarction involving temporal and occipital lobes and with apparent partial sparing of the visual cortex, presumably due to arterial insufficiency. The disturbance of central colour vision resolved spontaneously after a further period of 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The symptom of achromatopsia is analysed with particular reference to the recent work of Professor Zeki on disturbance of central colour vision following CO poisoning and the unusual MRI findings.
Fine
R D
RD
Department of Radiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales.
Parker
G D
GD
D000328:Adult; D000377:Agnosia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003117:Color Vision Defects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003867:Depth Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology