Asymbolia for Pain

REPORT OF A CASE In 1927, we observed a patient with sensory aphasia who would have hurt herself severely if left alone. She pushed everything that came into her hand against her eyes, heedless of the pain she thus inflicted on herself. When we studied this patient more carefully, we found that she did not react to pain or only in an incomplete and local way. There was no real defense action. Sometimes there was a local withdrawal; the facial reaction of the patient was that of slight pain. When exposed to a strong faradic current she showed pain reactions, but not a real defense. She never became angry at the examiner, and even seemed to derive some pleasure from the pain. Sometimes she took a needle and stuck herself deeply with it. The patient perseverated in actions once undertaken. The perseveration and the sensory aphasia almost disappeared, whereas the