Prosopagnosia: Rare Cause of "Face Blindness"

Imagine looking in the mirror and seeing a stranger. That situation - so bizarre as to be almost unfathomable for most people - is part of everyday life for people with a rare and incurable condition known as prosopagnosia.

People with prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, are unable to recognize faces, including those of friends and even close family members - and in some cases one's own face.

Some cases of prosopagnosia are inherited, but most stem from brain damage caused by illness or injury, according to the website of the Prosopagnosia Research Centersat Harvard University. Other cases develop after brain injuries or illness.

Prosopagnosia can cause serious social problems, as you might imagine. But many people with the condition are able to lead productive lives. Chuck Close, the photographer and painter best known for his large-scale photorealist portraits, reportedly has prosopagnosia.

Amanda Green, a 20-year-old Minnesotan developed prosopagnosia in the aftermath of a childhood viral illness. But despite being unable to recognize her classmates or professors, she graduated from high school in 2008 and is now studying to become a special education teacher, according to White Bear Press Online.

"It's like I'm meeting everyone for the first time," she explained.