What would happen if we walked around the world seeing demons are everywhere? It sounds terrible, but this is exactly what happens to the man whose case was just described in a magazine article. Lancet. This is a patient with prosopometamorphopsiaa rather rare neurological disease, patients of which see distorted faces. We should not confuse it with prosopagnosia, in which the faces look normal, but it is impossible to identify them, even if it is someone familiar. In this case, they look completely changed. So much so that the patient who was the protagonist of this study described them as demons.
Currently, less than 100 cases of prosopometamorphopsia have been described in the scientific literature. 81 in 2021. However, this latest report is the most complete because it is the first time it has been possible to accurately describe what the patient sees.
This became possible thanks to a feature that other victims do not have. And although with his own eyes he sees all the faces distorted, in photographs or drawings he does not detect any distortions. Thanks to this, it became possible to use software in which he himself indicated changes in photographs until they transformed them into what his eyes see in reality.
What is prosopometamorphopsia?
Prosopometamorphopsia is a condition that occurs due to poor processing of facial images. People suffering from this may see changes in shape, size, color or position facial structures. In some cases this happens punctually, with attacks subside within a few days, while in other cases the situation can last for weeks or even years.
Since there are very few cases reported and each one is different from the last, it is very difficult to understand what causes prosopometamorphopsia. The origin must be cerebral, in areas associated with facial treatmentbut it is not clear how they are damaged and why the situation usually resolves itself.
Researchers believe there may be other cases that have not yet been identified. In many cases, the diagnosis is incorrect. In fact, there are several famous patients who were initially diagnosed schizophrenia. Many of them were taking antipsychotic drugs unnecessarily. Moreover, there are patients who are afraid to talk about what is happening to them, so they never seek help. This leads to underdiagnosis and, as a consequence, to almost anecdotal studies.
The Man Who Sees Demons Everywhere
Typically, when a person with prosopometamorphopsia is shown a photograph he sees it distorted. So if changes are made to the facial features in an attempt to resemble what they see, it will never be possible because they see distortions of the distortions.
Therefore, scientists from Dartmouth University They saw a unique opportunity in the patient whose case they had just described in Lancet.
To conduct his research, he was given several photographs to look at while observing the model in question in person. In this way he was able to describe what he saw. on the spot. Meanwhile, scientists, using special software, changed the features of the photograph until the person 58 years oldhe admitted that it was identical to what he had seen in person.
Thus, for the first time, it is possible to get a reliable picture of what these people see. He himself describes that the faces they look like demons and this is not surprising, because the ears become pointed, the mouths lengthen, and the eyes become sharp.
At the moment there is no treatment. But perhaps through this kind of research we will be able to find them. Until it is achieved, all that remains is to wait. Fortunately, over time everything returns to normal.
Source: Hiper Textual
