Out-of-Body Experiences and Related Phenomena in Migraine Art

Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) can occur as a symptom of migraine aura. In a collection of 562 migraine art pictures, seven pieces depicted OBEs and related phenomena, such as sensing a duplicate body (parasomatic body) and seeing one's own body from an external perspective (autoscopy). Comparing these depictions with 17 case reports from the literature supports the idea that OBEs are a preformed functional response of the brain, not merely hallucinatory experiences based on imagination and memory. This neuropsychological theory complements existing psychological explanations of OBEs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In a collection of 562 migraine art pictures, seven pieces illustrate various elements of out-of-body experiences (OBEs) and related phenomena, including the somesthetic sensations of a duplicate or parasomatic body and the visual experiences of perceiving the own body, i.e. autoscopy, and its environment from a vantage point out of the body. Phenomenological features of the OBEs depicted are compared with 17 similar case reports reviewed from the literature. It is concluded that OBEs can occur as migraine aura symptom, which supports the notion that OBEs represent a preformed functional response of the brain. This neuropsychological theory supplements existing psychological theories of OBEs, which consider the said phenomena as representing hallucinatory experiences based on imagination and memory.