Nonverbal Auditory Agnosia (Environmental Sounds Agnosia)

Nonverbal auditory agnosia, also known as environmental sounds agnosia, is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize nonverbal sounds such as the chirps of birds, the blowing of horns, and knocking on doors. For instance, those with this condition may describe a sound as high pitched and resembling a musical instrument but could not associate it with chirping birds. This is caused by a damage in the brain’s temporal lobe and it is not a defect in the ear.