dream scintillation

dream scintillation
   Also known as flickering consciousness. The term dream scintillation is indebted to the Latin noun scintilla (spark). It was introduced in or shortly before 1949 by the American neurobiologist Alexander Forbes (1882-1965) to denote abrief,dream-likeflashofwhatseemstobe a dream memory occurring to the waking, unclouded mind. In Forbes's original self-report, episodes of dream scintillations sometimes lasted for hours. They consisted of chaotic, kaleidoscopic sequences of "visual hallucinations reminiscent of the type of dream image that one may experience while falling asleep. They came at a rapid-fire sequence, and were accompanied, in Forbes's case, by disorientation in time, as well as a subjective sense of estrangement. Four out of five of these episodes were preceded by strong emotional stimuli plus strenuous physical exertion. According to the American psychiatrists Mardi Jon Horowitz (b. 1934) et al., dream scintillations are phenomenologically different from * hypnagogic hallucinations and dreams, in that they display a non-linear, flickering quality, and defy any attempt at psychoanalytic interpretation. In conformity with the opinion voiced by the Canadian neurosurgeon Wilder Graves Pen-field (1891-1976), Horowitz et al. argue that "the phenomenon bears sufficient resemblance to occurrences in persons with temporal-lobe seizures that it might be considered a minor variant or forme fruste of temporal-lobe epilepsy triggered by metabolic fatigue or local circulatory factors." They propose the term 'flickering consciousness' as an alternative to Forbes's expression 'dream scintillation'. Conceptually as well as phenomenologically, dream scintillations would seem to be related to aurae occurring in the context of paroxysmal neurological disorders such as migraine and epilepsy, notably *visual aura, * psychic aura, and * persistent aura without infarction.
   References
   Forbes, A. (1949). Dream scintillations. Psychosomatic Medicine, 11, 160-163.
   Horowitz, M.J., Adams, J.E., Rutkin, B. (1967). Dream scintillations. Psychosomatic Medicine, 29, 284-292.

Dictionary of Hallucinations. . 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • flickering consciousness —    see dream scintillation …   Dictionary of Hallucinations

  • Luna 1 — Infobox Lunar orbiter Name = Luna 1 (Mechta) Organization = Soviet Union Contractors = OKB 1 MissionType = Planetary Science LaunchDate = 2 January 1959 at 16:41:21 UTC LaunchVehicle = SS 6/R 7 (8K72) MissionHighlight = Fly by of Moon on 4… …   Wikipedia

  • Norther Dancer — Northern Dancer Northern Dancer était un cheval de course pur sang anglais issu du croisement de Neartic et Natalma. Né en Ontario (Canada) en 1961 au haras de Windfiels, il était la propriété de E.P. Taylor. En 18 apparitions, il a remporté 14… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Nonesuch Records discography — This is a Nonesuch Records discography, organized by catalog number. Contents 1 Catalog number legend 2 Discography 2.1 Nonesuch 2.2 Explorer Series …   Wikipedia

  • Merrill Leroy Ellis — Merrill Ellis Birth name Merrill Leroy Ellis Born 9 December 1916(1916 12 09) Died 12 July 1981(1981 07 12) (aged 64) Flourished 1950–1981 Merrill Leroy Ellis (9 Dec 1 …   Wikipedia

  • image — Synonyms and related words: Doppelganger, Vorstellung, abstract, abstraction, adumbrate, affectation, affectedness, airs, airs and graces, allusion, ally, altarpiece, alter ego, analogon, analogue, angle, apparition, appearance, apprehension,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • Radioactive waste — 2007 ISO radioactivity danger logo, designed in part for long term radioactive waste depositories which might survive into a far future time in which all knowledge of the meaning of present common radiation danger symbols and signs has been lost… …   Wikipedia

  • Danehill (horse) — Danehill Sire Danzig Grandsire Northern Dancer Dam Razyana Damsire His Majesty Sex Stallion Foa …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”