Anton Syndrome: A Rare Form of Visual Impairment Where the Brain Denies Blindness

There are cases when someone with no sight at all will entirely behave so that they can see just perfectly fine. This medical condition is known as Anton Syndrome.

What Is Anton Syndrome?

Anton Syndrome refers to a neurological condition where a person experiences cortical blindness and denial of vision loss. It is usually accompanied by confabulation, or the act of making up memories and experiences that they actually never had.

Also known as Anton-Babinski Syndrome, this medical condition is extremely rare, with only 28 cases documented between 1965 and 2016. It is more common in elderly patients who suffer from brain injury, although it has also been reported in a person as young as six years old.

This condition was first clinically described by Austrian neurologist Gabriel Anton, who reported cases of patients with a complete lack of self-perception of their blindness. This includes the story of a 69-year-old milkmaid who got deaf and blind from a lesion in both temporal lobes.

However, there are documented cases as far back as Roman times which could qualify as Anton Syndrome. For instance, a woman named Harpaste became blind but falsely believed she was not. Her attendants constantly changed her room as it was "too dark".

People who experience Anton Syndrome claim that they are not blind and can actually see well, dismissing any proof stating otherwise. Because of the patient's detailed confabulation and description of the surroundings, they may appear to have normal vision.

These persons usually experience serious mental confusion and mislead their caregivers by attempting to do things that are difficult for a blind person to do. This often delays the diagnosis of vision loss.

It only becomes apparent when the patient walks into objects or describes people or surroundings that are not present. Soon, healthcare providers may begin to suspect that they actually lost their vision. However, helping the patient through their symptoms can be very difficult and distressing.

What Are the Causes and Treatments for Anton Syndrome?

In Anton Syndrome, vision loss results from either brain injury or damage to the lower cortex of the brain. Other causes include hemorrhage or stroke involving occipital lobes in the brain and posterior cerebral arteries.

Complications from other medical conditions may also serve as contributing factors. These include cardiac surgery, HIV infection, dystrophy, preeclampsia, and encephalopathy.

Treatment for Anton Syndrome involves addressing the assumed underlying contributors to the occipital lobe damage. A study reveals that a person developed this condition due to multiple sclerosis (MS) and gradually recovered after undergoing treatment with plasmapheresis and intravenous methylprednisolone.

If stroke is the major cause, treatment would include a reduction of stroke-related damages. This would involve monitoring glucose levels, blood pressure, and medications.

Vision can also improve with treatment, although it depends on a person's age and medical condition. Significant improvement can be expected from a patient younger than 40 years old who never had a diabetes, stroke, or high blood pressure. Meanwhile, patients who have Anton Syndrome from bilateral occipital cortical infarction may have a poor prognosis and are unlikely to recover.