Partial and full own-body illusions of epileptic origin in a child with right temporoparietal epilepsy.

A 10-year-old patient with right temporoparietal epilepsy experienced both a partial own-body illusion (somatoparaphrenia) and a full own-body illusion (out-of-body experience) sequentially during a single epileptic seizure. This is the first documented case of out-of-body experiences in a child with focal epilepsy. The co-occurrence suggests that partial and full own-body illusions share functional and neuroanatomical properties, highlighting the right temporoparietal junction's role in bodily self-consciousness.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Partial and full own-body illusions of neurological origin have been claimed crucial to understand the contribution of bodily experience and perception to self-consciousness. Whereas partial body illusions are relatively common and well defined, much less is known about full own-body illusions, and even less is known about these illusions in children. Here we describe a 10-year-old patient with the association of partial and full own-body illusions (somatoparaphrenia and out-of-body experience) that occurred sequentially during an epileptic seizure caused by right temporoparietal epilepsy. This report shows that partial and full own-body illusions share functional and neuroanatomical properties and highlights the importance of the right temporoparietal junction for bodily self-consciousness. This is the first report of out-of-body experiences in a child with focal epilepsy.