Getting Lost: A Newly Discovered Devolpmental Brain Disorder

A group of researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute have discovered a developmental topographical disorder in which a patient cannot orient himself in his environment but also does not have any obvious brain damage or cognitive impairments. Functional magnetic resonance imaging has proved that no malformations exist in the brain while behavioral tests have proven that the problem is specific to the inability to form cognitive maps.

Navigating and orientation are not simple processes, in fact they include several parts of the brain including the areas of memory, attention, perception, and decision-making in addition to the procedural memory system, involving landmarks and distances, and the spatial memory system. When an individual enters a new place, a "cognitive map" is created that is "read" thus enabling the individual to navigate without getting lost.

I found this article interesting because I could not imagine not being able to recognize where I am and constantly having the feeling that I am lost even in a familiar place. Since this condition is not associated with any deformities or the brain or lesions in areas where navigation is the primary function, the cause is still unknown and could be present from birth. This would cause a large number of problems including constantly asking people for directions in familiar places, not being able to drive without the constant aid of maps, and could ultimately lead to social isolation.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080922135227.htm