[Out-of-body experience as possible seizure symptom in a patient with a right parietal lesion].
C Brandt, D Brechtelsbauer, C G Bien, K Reiners
Der Nervenarzt October 1, 2005 DOI: 10.1007/s00115-005-1904-y (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 44-year-old man who experienced seizures and out-of-body episodes, during which he felt he had left his body and viewed himself from outside, was found to have a brain tumor in the right parietal lobe. Electroencephalography revealed seizure activity in the right temporal and right parietal regions, and imaging identified a lesion that was surgically removed. After the tumor was extracted, the patient remained seizure-free for five years. The case links out-of-body experiences to a specific brain region and suggests that such sensations can arise from a localized structural abnormality.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A 44-year-old patient with epigastric auras, psychomotor and grand mal seizures, and out-of-body experiences |
| Duration | 5-year follow-up |
| Key finding | A right parietal lobe lesion (pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma) was associated with out-of-body experiences and seizures; surgical removal led to five years of seizure freedom. |
Abstract
Out-of-body experiences are reported in a variety of diseases and physiologic conditions. We report a 44-year-old patient with epigastric auras, psychomotor and grand mal seizures, and paroxysmal experiences during which he believed to have left his body and seen himself from the outside. Electroencephalography showed a right temporal and right parietal seizure pattern on several occasions, and a lesion in the right parietal lobe was detected by cranial magnetic resonance imaging. Histological examination showed a pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. Following extirpation of the lesion, the patient has been seizure-free for 5 years.