Anosognosia and the two-factor theory of delusions

Abstract

Anosognosia (denial of impairment), and especially anosognosia for hemiplegia, seems to involve a belief that counts as a delusion by the usual definitions. Existing theories of anosognosia for hemiplegia appeal to impaired feedback from the paralysed side of the body and to cognitive impairments. We show how cases of anosognosia for hemiplegia can be brought within the scope of a generic two-factor theory about the aetiology of monothematic delusions of neuropsychological origin.