What term describes the loss of ability to perform mathematical calculations?

The term that describes the loss of ability to perform mathematical calculations is acalculia. This condition typically arises from damage to specific areas of the brain involved in numerical processing and mathematics, often related to lesions in the parietal lobe. Individuals with acalculia may struggle with tasks such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, or understanding numbers, even if their general cognitive abilities remain intact.

Understanding acalculia is important in the context of neuropsychology because it highlights how localized brain functions can affect specific cognitive abilities. The other terms are associated with different cognitive deficits: apraxia refers to difficulties in carrying out purposeful movements, agnosia involves the inability to recognize objects or stimuli despite having intact sensory function, and amnesia refers to memory loss. Each of these conditions affects different cognitive skills, but none specifically pertain to the ability to perform mathematical calculations like acalculia does.