APA Dictionary of Psychology

degeneration of the cerebral cortex. It may occur in conditions such as hepatitis C and treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), degeneration of cortex at the back of the head, is an uncommon and poorly understood condition characterized by deficits in math, spelling, and processing visual information (e.g., trouble reading and judging distances), as well as by hallucinations and anxiety. Memory is not initially affected. PCA has some neuropsychiatric symptoms that are similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s disease, and it may be misdiagnosed as such for that reason, but generally researchers believe it is a separate disorder.