Review article

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2018.21

MANY FACES OF DÉJÀ VU: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Marija Bošnjak Pašić ; University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Department of Neurology and School of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Referral Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia for Demyelinating Diseases of the Central Nervous System,
Emina Horvat Velić ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Zagreb, Croatia (student)
Luka Fotak ; General Hospital Varaždin, Varaždin, Croatia
Hanna Pašić ; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine (Medical Studies in English), Zagreb, Croatia (student)
Azijada Srkalović Imširagić ; Neuropsychiatric Hospital “Dr Ivan Barbot“, Popovača, Croatia
Davorka Milat ; "Sveti Rok“ Polyclinic, Zagreb, Croatia
Helena Šarac ; University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Department of Neurology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Sarah Bjedov orcid.org/0000-0002-8582-6236 ; University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Department of Psychological Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Željka Petelin Gadže ; University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Referral Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia for Epilepsy, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

French expression standing for the phrase “already seen” is a déjà vu. It is thought that as much as 97% of the population have experienced déjà vu at least once in their lifetime and 67% experience it regularly. The explanations of this phenomenon in novels and poems include reincarnation, dreams, organic factors, and unconscious memories. In this narrative review connection between déjà vu and various other conditions has been mentioned: false memories, temporal lobe epilepsy and other neurological conditions. In psychiatric patients déjà vu phenomenon is more often seen in patients with anxiety and people with derealisation/ depersonalization. It seems that temporal region is the origin of déjà vu phenomena in both healthy individuals and in individuals with neurological and psychiatric conditions, but the exact mechanism of this phenomenon is however still unknown. More attention should also be given to déjà vu from philosophical and religious perspectives as well. Déjà vu is still an enigma which could only be revealed with multidisciplinary approach through cooperation between neurologists, brain scientists, psychiatrists and experimental
psychologists.

Keywords

anxiety; déjà vu; derealisation; temporal lobe epilepsy

Hrčak ID:

195959

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/195959

Publication date:

16.3.2018.

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