Grüter, MartinaMartinaGrüterCarbon, Claus-ChristianClaus-ChristianCarbon0000-0002-3446-9347Grüter, ThomasThomasGrüter2026-10-092026-10-092026https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/117606Persons with congenital prosopagnosia (cPA) find it hard to recognize familiar persons by their faces, learn new faces, and decide whether a face looks familiar. The deficit is common (prevalence of 2.5%), hereditary, and has no known cure. An increasing number of studies have tried to assess the scope of the deficit and the underlying functional brain alterations. Being diagnosed with a hereditary, lifelong condition can have negative effects that researchers should be aware of. Our study assessed the long-term impact of the diagnosis in 49 persons with cPA. We found that positive effects clearly predominate. Many participants developed new strategies for person recognition and improved their interpersonal skills. Their face recognition skills remain poor, as do their intuitive person recognition skills. Most importantly, a majority reported an improvement in the quality of their relationships and increased social support. The results are discussed, and recommendations for the diagnosis and recruitment process are presented.engface recognitionprosopagnosiacongenital prosopagnosiaquality of lifeperson recognitiondiagnosisdevelopmental150articleurn:nbn:de:bvb:473-irb-117606x