Alice in Wonderland syndrome
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Alice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS, named after the novel written by Lewis Carroll), also known as Todd's syndrome[1], is a disorienting neurological condition which affects human perception. Sufferers may experience micropsia, macropsia, and/or size distorsion of other sensory modalities. A temporary condition, it is often associated with migraines, brain tumours, and the use of psychoactive drugs. It can also present as the initial sign of the Epstein-Barr Virus (see infectious mononucleosis).
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[edit] Signs and symptoms
Eye components are entirely normal. The AIW syndrome is a result of change in perception as opposed to the eyes themselves malfunctioning. The hallmark sign of AIWS is a migraine, and may in part be caused by the symptom itself. Using psychoactive drugs (notably dextromethorphan) may also produce micropsia. Although mostly limited to the eyes, AIWS also affects the sufferer's sense of touch, hearing and sometimes one's own body image.
[edit] Diagnosis
There is no distinct diagnosis of AIWS due to it being a perception issue rather than one which causes a specific mechanical change to the body's systems. The assumption could be made if all physical causes have been denied notability and if the patient presents with migraines, altered senses and complains of onset during darkness (although it can occur in light).
Delirium tremens, a serious complication of withdrawal from alcohol, can also cause lilliputian hallucinations - visual hallucinations of small animals or people. DTs requires urgent medical treatment.[2]
[edit] Treatment
Treatment regimes consist of treating the underlying cause of AIWS which, in turn, usually stops the condition from progressing and, in most cases, recess. Some migraines can be controlled using NSAIDs (such as Ibuprofen) or, if severe, serotonin receptor agonists such as Sumatriptan.
[edit] Prognosis
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome is usually short lived and does not require any immediate treatment. Treating the underlying cause (usually migraines) results in the syndrome disappearing.
[edit] Epidemiology
No studies are available that display any correlation between age, gender or race. AIWS is thought to be relatively common within the community of migraine sufferers.
[edit] References
- ^ Longmore, Murray; Ian Wilkinson, Tom Turmezei, Chee Kay Cheung (2007). Oxford Handbook of Clinicial Medicine. Oxford, 686. ISBN 0-19-856837-1.
- ^ Kumar, P; Clark, M (2005). Clinical Medicine, 6th, Elsevier Saunders, 1304. ISBN 0-7020-2763-4.
- PMID 12207198
- Kew, J., Wright, A., & Halligan, P.W. (1998). Somesthetic aura: The experience of "Alice in Wonderland", The Lancet, 351,p1934
- British Journal of Ophthalmology 1992;76:316; doi:10.1136/bjo.76.5.316
- Article from Reuters about Carroll/Dodgson and migraine hallucinations; contains further references
[edit] External links
- More information plus a forum where the syndrome is discussed
- I have Alice In Wonderland syndrome, Rik Hemsley, The Guardian, Saturday February 16, 2008
