Alexia

Alexia is a term with multiple meanings. It can refer to a female given name used in various languages, or to a medical condition describing impaired reading.

As a given name, Alexia is a feminine form derived from Greek roots and is used in many European and English-speaking countries. It is commonly considered related to Alexis or Alexander, and is used independently of the male name in modern naming practices.

In medicine, alexia denotes an acquired impairment of reading, typically resulting from damage to the left hemisphere of the brain and its language networks. It is distinct from developmental dyslexia, which is present from birth. Clinically, several subtypes are recognized: pure alexia (severe reading impairment with writing largely preserved), alexia without agraphia (reading impaired while writing remains intact), and alexia with agraphia (both reading and writing are affected). These conditions are often associated with lesions in the occipitotemporal region or connections between the occipital cortex and language areas.

The term is primarily used in neurology and neuropsychology, while in everyday language it remains most commonly encountered as a given name. When encountered in medical contexts, it is important to distinguish alexia from other reading disorders and from dyslexia, which typically refers to developmental challenges rather than acquired brain injury.