Epileptic seizures and spirit possession in Haitian culture: report of four cases and review of the literature.
Epilepsy & behavior : E&B September 1, 2010 A E Cavanna, S Cavanna, A Cavanna 42 citations
Epileptic seizures in Haiti are often misattributed to Voodoo spirit possession due to cultural beliefs. In four Haitian patients whose seizures were initially thought to be spirit possession, the seizures involved experiential phenomena such as epigastric aura, fear, depersonalization, and derealization, followed by loss of consciousness. Electroclinical tests showed a temporal lobe focus in each case. The article reviews how such traditional belief systems can delay proper diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, highlighting the harmful impact of these misconceptions in developing countries.