Brain stimulation produces creepy shadow feeling

[Philosoraptor]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060921/od_nm/science_illusion_dc;_ylt=AtkUGlPzmzV2iJ1m.nVx9EMSH9EA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

When they electrically stimulated the left temporoparietal junction in her brain, which is linked to self-other distinction and self-processing, she thought someone was standing behind her.

If they repeated the stimulus while she leaned forward and grabbed her knees she had an unpleasant sensation that the shadowy figure was embracing her.

The feeling that someone is lurking nearby has been described by patients suffering from psychological and neurological problems. The researchers believe the woman was experiencing a perception of her own body.

"Although our patient was aware of the similarity between her own postural and positional features and those of the illusory person, she did not recognize that that person was an illusion of her own body, like many deluded schizophrenia patients," Blanke added.

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This might explain some of our most hidden fears, ghosts, spirits, ghouls, angels, devils, aliens, and a host of
other frights.

[razors edge]

1. and maybe the feeling of god being nearby?

[SoCalDem]

2. "Breaking".. Woman, Goosed by Jesus, gives up her faith..film at 11

:)

[TAPat]

3. Very interestink... (hat tip to Laugh-In) nt

[Dogmudgeon]

4. Old, old news

Not to be critical -- this is new work, but the discoveries are old.

Search on Allan H. Frey (from the early 1960s onward) and Michael Persinger (from the late 1970s onward). They and their colleagues have done a wealth of research in electromagnetic brain stimulation and unusual mental states.

--p!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. It's been observed that some people having an MRI

experience the feeling that they are in a narrow tunnel.... sorry. :)

[NOLADEM]

6. Any type I bipolar could tell you that this is the case

Brain leisions cause bipolar disorder just as they cause epilepsy on the same part of the brain. This is just applying an electrode to it...Same difference.