[A contribution to the psychophysiology of infantile dysmegalopsy (author's transl)]

A 9 year old boy was able to evoke microptic experiences voluntarily. Clinical and historical signs of minimal brain dysfunction were present. An epileptic etiology could neither be proven nor ruled out. Synchronized EEG- and Video recording allowed us to analyze the EEG and the corresponding behavior by using sequential spectral analysis of the EEG data. Coinciding with a progressive increase in rhythmic 6-7 cps. activity we observed a behavior which appeared to correspond to a state of narrowed attention. He signalized the onset of a micropsy a few seconds after the transition from this pattern into one which showed a relative voltage decrease and the reappearance of some alpha-activity. The end was signalized by him coinciding with the recurrence of normal waking activity. Our findings--like those of others--suggest that the gradual development of hypnagogic phenomena is bound to a state of lowered vigilance. The reappearance of alpha activity and the voltage decrease seem to represent an unstable intermediary state with partial arousal preceding the restitution of normal wakefulness. Since the onset of the micropsy was signalized only after manifestation of the intermediary EEG-state, we conclude that partial arousal is a prerequisite for giving an indication of hypnagogic experiences in a quasi retrospective manner.