Problems in the ability to comprehend or communicate with symbols, asymbolia, was first established by Finkelnburg.

Pain asymbolia, also called pain dissociation, is a condition in which pain is experienced without unpleasantness.

The term 'agnosia' was introduced by Sigmund Freud in 1891: "For disturbances in the recognition of objects, which Finkelnburg classes as asymbolia, I should like to propose the term 'agnosia'."