optic alexiasensory alexiavisual alexiamotor alexia An inability to comprehend the meaning of written or printed words and sentences, caused by a cerebral lesion. Also called optic alexia, sensory alexia, visual alexia, to differentiate from motor alexia (anarthria), in which there is loss of the power to read aloud even though the significance of what is written or printed is understood. SYN: text blindness, word blindness, visual aphasia (1). [G. a- priv. + lexis, a word or phrase]
