Investigation of the cerebral blood flow of an Omani man with supposed 'spirit possession' associated with an altered mental state : a case report.
Journal of medical case reports December 10, 2009 Amr A Guenedi, Ala'Alddin Al Hussaini, Yousif A Obeid et al. 9 citations
Spirit possession beliefs are common across many cultures, yet their relationship to brain function remains underexplored. In a 22-year-old Omani man whose caregiver attributed his altered consciousness to possession, specific brain abnormalities were identified: reduced blood flow in the left temporal lobe and a structural anomaly in the left basal ganglia, both correlating with his distress. The case illustrates how possession can function as a culturally accepted expression of distress and underscores the value of examining such experiences through biomedical brain imaging alongside cultural understanding.