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Déjà vu phenomenon-related EEG pattern. Case report
P N Vlasov1, A V Chervyakov2, V V Gnezditskii2
1Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Moscow, Russia.
Epilepsy & Behavior Case Reports
|February 11, 2015
Summary
Déjà vu (DV) experiences in epilepsy patients show distinct EEG patterns, unlike those in healthy individuals. This suggests two types of déjà vu: pathological-epileptic and nonpathological-nonepileptic.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Epileptology
Background:
- Déjà vu (DV) is a cognitive phenomenon involving the perception of novel situations as familiar.
- Understanding the neurological underpinnings of DV is crucial for differentiating its potential causes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and record the electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns associated with déjà vu experiences.
- To differentiate EEG signatures between déjà vu in epileptic versus healthy individuals.
Main Methods:
- Participants completed surveys on DV characteristics.
- Ambulatory EEG monitoring was conducted for 12-16 hours to capture real-time brain activity during DV episodes.
Main Results:
- Epilepsy patients experiencing DV exhibited polyspike activity in the right temporal lobe, sometimes followed by right-hemisphere slow-wave activity.
- Healthy individuals did not show epileptic discharges during their déjà vu episodes.
Conclusions:
- The study proposes two distinct categories of déjà vu: "pathological-epileptic" DV, linked to epileptic seizures, and "nonpathological-nonepileptic" DV, considered a psychological phenomenon in healthy individuals.
