Visual hallucinations and mental state. A study of 14 Charles Bonnet syndrome hallucinators

Complex visual hallucinations are usually a sign of acute psychopathology or gross cognitive impairment, but may also occur in people with visual deficits--the Charles Bonnet Syndrome. The mental state of 14 Charles Bonnet hallucinators was assessed using four psychological tests: the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Mini-Mult, and the Mini-Mental State Examination. Results are consistent with earlier reports suggesting that these hallucinations are not due to psychopathology or compromised cognitive functioning. It is proposed that these complex visual hallucinations represent ongoing neural activity in the visual system following eye damage.