Phenomenology of hallucinations, illusions, and delusions as part of seizure semiology.
B S Kasper, E M Kasper, E Pauli, H Stefan
Epilepsy & Behavior May 18, 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.03.006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Individuals with partial epilepsy |
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Humans Epilepsy Seizures Hallucinations Illusions Delusions |
| Key findings | The authors propose that subjective seizure symptoms can be classified into elementary sensory, complex sensory, and complex integratory categories, and argue that these hallucinations, illusions, and delusions offer insight into the physiology and functional anatomy of the brain regions involved. The article describes 10 cases to illustrate this phenomenology. |
Abstract
In partial epilepsy, a localized hypersynchronous neuronal discharge evolving into a partial seizure affecting a particular cortical region or cerebral subsystem can give rise to subjective symptoms, which are perceived by the affected person only, that is, ictal hallucinations, illusions, or delusions. When forming the beginning of a symptom sequence leading to impairment of consciousness and/or a classic generalized seizure, these phenomena are referred to as an epileptic aura, but they also occur in isolation. They often manifest in the fully awake state, as part of simple partial seizures, but they also can be associated to different degrees of disturbed consciousness. Initial ictal symptoms often are closely related to the physiological functions of the cortical circuit involved and, therefore, can provide localizing information. When brain regions related to sensory integration are involved, the seizure discharge can cause specific kinds of hallucinations, for example, visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, and cutaneous sensory sensations. In addition to these elementary sensory perceptions, quite complex hallucinations related to a partial seizure can arise, for example, perception of visual scenes or hearing music. By involving psychic and emotional spheres of human perception, many seizures also give rise to hallucinatory emotional states (e.g., fear or happiness) or even more complex hallucinations (e.g., visuospatial phenomena), illusions (e.g., déjà vu, out-of-body experience), or delusional beliefs (e.g., identity change) that often are not easily recognized as epileptic. Here we suggest a classification into elementary sensory, complex sensory, and complex integratory seizure symptoms. Epileptic hallucinations, illusions, and delusions shine interesting light on the physiology and functional anatomy of brain regions involved and their functions in the human being. This article, in which 10 cases are described, introduces the fascinating phenomenology of subjective seizure symptoms.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on philosophy of mind, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Consciousness: A Philosophy of Mindfulness and Somaesthetics | 2008 | Review article | |
| Phenomenology, Structure, and Dynamic of Psychedelic States | 2016 | Review | |
| Classic Hallucinogens and Mystical Experiences: Phenomenology and Neural Correlates. | 2018 | Review | |
| The lived experience of psychosis: a bottom-up review co-written by experts by experience and academics. Individuals with lived experience of psychosis, family members, and carers | 2022 | Co-written bottom-up review | |
| From autopoiesis to neurophenomenology: Francisco Varela's exploration of the biophysics of being. | 2003 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- 5-MeO-DMT: An atypical psychedelic with unique pharmacology, phenomenology & risk? Psychopharmacology December 11, 2023
- Visual hallucinations induced by Ganzflicker and Ganzfeld differ in frequency, complexity, and content Scientific Reports January 29, 2024
- Flicker and Ganzfeld induced visual hallucinations differ in frequency and content bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) August 13, 2023
- Dissociation in patients with epilepsy and functional seizures: A narrative review of the literature. Seizure June 24, 2023
- Can hyper-synchrony in meditation lead to seizures? Similarities in meditative and epileptic brain states. Medical Hypotheses October 2014
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