Amimia

/ˌeɪˈmɪmiə/ noun

Definition

A loss or inability to use gesture and facial expressions to communicate, often resulting from neurological damage or stroke.

Etymology

From Greek 'a-' (without) + 'mimia' (imitation or miming, from 'mimikos' relating to mime). The term developed in 19th-century neurology to describe specific communication deficits.

Kelly Says

Amimia shows how much of human communication isn't words at all—some stroke patients lose their ability to shrug, wink, or smile even though they understand everything, proving that gestures are a whole separate language in the brain.

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