[Amusias].
BACKGROUND
We review the definition of the amusias and the cultural components involved in musical experience. We review the characteristics of musical language, perception and performance of it together with reading and writing it.


METHODS
We analyze the above data and significant clinical cases. We discuss whether in evaluation of the amusias it may be relevant to have had been taught music, since in this condition the functional specialization of the cerebral cortex has different topography of the lesions in persons who have or have not had musical education.


CONCLUSIONS
We consider that in persons who have studied musical language, amusia should be evaluated as a second language, and its pathology as aphasia for musical language. In persons without musical education the dysperceptive amusias are a purely agnostic phenomenon with neuropsyschological characteristics which are different to those seen in persons who have had an education in music.
Barquero-Jiménez
M S
MS
Unidad de Memoria. Servicio de Neurología.Hospital Clínico San Carlos. Madrid, España. mberthier@advred.com
Payno-Vargas
M A
MA
D000377:Agnosia / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009146:Music