A lightning strike to the head causing a visual cortex defect with simple and complex visual hallucinations.
Ingo Kleiter, Ralf Luerding, Gerhard Diendorfer, Helga Rek, Ulrich Bogdahn, Berthold Schalke
BMJ Case Reports July 7, 2009 DOI: 10.1136/bcr.06.2009.2008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A 23-year-old mountaineer struck by lightning |
| Duration | Drug-induced coma for 3 days; follow-up at 4 months |
| Measures | neuropsychological tests, electroencephalography (EEG) |
| Key findings | A lightning strike to the occiput produced a large central visual field defect, bilateral tympanic membrane ruptures, and, after a drug-induced coma, transient simple and complex visual hallucinations. Neuropsychological testing indicated right temporal lobe dysfunction, consistent with a right temporal EEG focus. Four months later the patient developed nightmares with recurrence of complex visual hallucinations and a depressive syndrome. |
Abstract
The case of a 23-year-old mountaineer who was hit by a lightning strike to the occiput causing a large central visual field defect and bilateral tympanic membrane ruptures is described. Owing to extreme agitation, the patient was sent into a drug-induced coma for 3 days. After extubation, she experienced simple and complex visual hallucinations for several days, but otherwise largely recovered. Neuropsychological tests revealed deficits in fast visual detection tasks and non-verbal learning and indicated a right temporal lobe dysfunction, consistent with a right temporal focus on electroencephalography. At 4 months after the accident, she developed a psychological reaction consisting of nightmares, with reappearance of the complex visual hallucinations and a depressive syndrome. Using the European Cooperation for Lightning Detection network, a meteorological system for lightning surveillance, the exact geographical location and nature of the lightning strike were retrospectively retraced.