Charles Bonnet Hallucinations: A Case Series*

1992 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin G. Cole
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Emotional Response ◽  
Sensory Deprivation ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Eye Disease ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Visual Deficits ◽  
Visual Status ◽  
Visual Phenomena ◽  
Impaired Cognition

Charles Bonnet hallucinations are complex visual hallucinations which occur during clear consciousness inpatients who do not suffer from psychosis, substance abuse, sleep disorders, focal neurological lesions or acute eye disease. They are well-defined images of patterns, scenes, animals or humans combined with normal perceptions and elicit a neutral or pleasant emotional response. Because of conflicting reports about cognitive or visual impairments among patients with these hallucinations, I describe the cognitive and visual status of 13 patients. One patient had preserved cognition and vision; three had preserved cognition and impaired vision; three had impaired cognition and preserved vision; and six had both impaired cognition and vision. It is unlikely that cognitive or visual deficits alone caused the hallucinations, but may have contributed to a state of sensory deprivation with visual phenomena.

Pediatric Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS): A Case Series

2019 ◽  
pp. 249-254
Author(s):  
Kenneth J. Ciuffreda ◽  
MH Esther Han ◽  
Barry Tannen
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Visual Condition ◽  
Visual Phenomena ◽  
Entire Visual Field ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Vision Therapy ◽  
Abnormal Visual

Visual snow syndrome (VSS) is a relatively rare, unusual, and disturbing abnormal visual condition. The individual perceives “visual snow” (VS) throughout the entire visual field, as well as other abnormal visual phenomena (e.g., photopsia). Only relatively recently has treatment been proposed (e.g., chromatic filters) in adults with VSS, but rarely in the pediatric VSS population (i.e., medications). In this paper, we present three well-documented cases of VSS in children, including their successful neuro-optometric therapeutic interventions (i.e., chromatic filters and saccadic-based vision therapy)

FDG-PET Scanning Shows Distributed Changes in Cortical Activity Associated with Visual Hallucinations in Eye Disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lütfü Hanoglu ◽  
Sultan Yildiz ◽  
Tansel Cakir ◽  
Taha Hanoglu ◽  
Burak Yulug
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Fdg Pet ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Eye Disease ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Charles Bonnet Syndrome ◽  
Pet Scanning ◽  
Inferior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Visual Deafferentation

Background and Objective: Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) has been defined as complex visual hallucinations (CVH) due to visual loss. The underlying mechanism of CBS is not clear and the underlying pathophysiology of the visual hallucinations in CBS patients and pure visually impaired patients is still not clear. </P><P> Methods: In our study, we have scanned three patients with eye disease and CBS (VH+) and three patients with eye disease without CBS (VH-) using FDG-PET. Results: Our results showed underactivity in the pons and overactivity in primary right left visual cortex and inferior parietal cortex in VH- patients and underactivity in left Broca, left inf frontal primary visual cortex and anterior and posterior cingulate cortex in VH+ patients relative to the normative 18FFDG PET data that was taken from the database consisting of 50 age-matched healthy adults without neuropsychiatric disorders. Conclusion: From this distributed pattern of activity changes, we conclude that the generation of visual hallucination in CBS is associated with bottom-up and top-down mechanism rather than the generally accepted visual deafferentation-related hyperexcitability theory.

Voltage-gated potassium channel limbic encephalitis presenting as functional cognitive impairment

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. e233179
Author(s):  
Eric Garrels ◽  
Fawziya Huq ◽  
Gavin McKay
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Potassium Channel ◽  
Limbic Encephalitis ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Differential Diagnoses ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
History Of ◽  
Impaired Cognition

Limbic encephalitis is often reported to present as seizures and impaired cognition with little focus on psychiatric presentations. In this case report, we present a 49-year-old man who initially presented to the Psychiatric Liaison Service with a several month history of confusion with the additional emergence of visual hallucinations and delusions. Due to the inconsistent nature of the symptoms in the context of a major financial stressor, a provisional functional cognitive impairment diagnosis was made. Investigations later revealed a positive titre of voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC) antibodies, subtype leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 accounting for his symptoms which dramatically resolved with steroids and immunoglobulins. This case highlighted the need for maintaining broad differential diagnoses in a patient presenting with unusual psychiatric symptoms.

scholarly journals An overview of psychological and social factors in Charles Bonnet syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 251584142110347
Author(s):  
Lee Jones ◽  
Lara Ditzel-Finn ◽  
Jamie Enoch ◽  
Mariya Moosajee
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Response ◽  
Causal Mechanism ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Cognitively Normal ◽  
Charles Bonnet Syndrome ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Normal Individuals ◽  
The Social ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Insight Into

Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is a condition where cognitively normal individuals with sight impairment experience simple and/or complex visual hallucinations. The exact pathogenesis of CBS is unknown; however, deafferentation is often recognised as a causal mechanism. Studies have provided insight into the multifaceted impact of CBS on wellbeing. Onset of CBS may cause distress among those believing visual hallucinations are indicative of a neurological condition. Hallucinatory content is often congruent with the emotional response. For example, hallucinations of a macabre nature typically result in a fearful response. Visual hallucinations may be highly disruptive, causing everyday tasks to become challenging. Clinical management relies on forewarning and pre-emptive questioning. Yet, knowledge and awareness of CBS is typically low. In this review, we provide a summary of the social and psychological implications of CBS and explore recent developments aimed at raising awareness and improving patient management.

scholarly journals Management of moderate-to-severe dry eye disease using chitosan-N-acetylcysteine (Lacrimera®) eye drops: a retrospective case series

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 1547-1552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Nepp ◽  
Wolfgang Knoetzl ◽  
Anna Prinz ◽  
Sonja Hoeller ◽  
Martin Prinz
Keyword(s):  
Dry Eye ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Dry Eye Disease ◽  
Eye Disease ◽  
Eye Drops ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Retrospective Case Series

Hallucinating objects versus hallucinating subjects

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 772-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexei V. Samsonovich
Keyword(s):  
Eye Disease ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Alternative Account

Collerton et al. propose that one and the same mechanism (PAD) underlies recurrent complex visual hallucinations (RCVH) in various disorders, including schizophrenia, dementia, and eye disease. The present commentary offers an alternative account of RCVH and other recurrent complex hallucinations specific to schizophrenia and related disorders only. The proposed account is consistent with the bias of schizophrenic RCVH contents toward animate, socially active entities.

Complex Visual Hallucinations in Partial Blindness due to Eye Disease

1980 ◽  
Vol 136 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. J. White
Keyword(s):  
Eye Disease ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
The Third ◽  
Visual Failure

SummaryThree patients experienced complex formed hallucinations during progressive visual failure from eye disease. The hallucinations began abruptly, were brightly coloured stereotyped figures, animals or objects, and appeared to be provoked by light.As blindness progressed the clarity, frequency and duration of the hallucinations faded. The patients had no abnormalities other than their eye disease, which in two cases was macula degeneration, and choroideraemia in the third.

Charles Bonnet Syndrome with Major Depression in a Chinese Middle-Aged Man

1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 769-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samson Yat-Yuk Fong ◽  
Yun-Kwok Wing
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Psychiatric Illness ◽  
Visual Hallucination ◽  
Sensory Deprivation ◽  
Cultural Background ◽  
Depressive Illness ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Charles Bonnet Syndrome

Objective: To describe a middle-aged patient with Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) suffering from concurrent major depression. Clinical picture: A 41-year-old Chinese man with retinitis pigmentosa developed complex and vivid visual hallucinations. This was followed by the onset of major depressive illness. His visual hallucinations were greatly influenced by his cultural background and changed during the course of his depression. Treatment: The patient was treated with imipramine. Outcome: The patient had a relapse of depression due to his non-compliance. He recovered after the resumption of imipramine but the visual hallucinations persisted. Conclusions: Patients suffering from CBS can have another concurrent psychiatric illness. The content and form of this patient's visual hallucinations were modified by his cultural background and depressive illness. Sensory deprivation is suggested to be the pathogenic mechanism of his visual hallucination.

Hallucinations

1998 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 851-877 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Robert Brasić
Keyword(s):  
Differential Diagnosis ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Phantom Limb ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Visual Phenomena ◽  
Rapid Cognitive Decline ◽  
Home Placement

Hallucinations, sensory perceptions without environmental stimuli, occur as simple experiences of auditory, gustatory, olfactory, tactile, or visual phenomena as well as mixed or complex experiences of more than one simple phenomenon. The nature of the hallucination assists localization, differential diagnosis, and treatment planning. In particular, the presence of persistent visual hallucinations of persons with Parkinson's disease predicts dementia, rapid deterioration, permanent nursing home placement, and death. Hallucinations in persons with Alzheimer's disease are often associated with serious behavioral problems and predict a rapid cognitive decline. Theories of the etiology of hallucinations include (1) stimulation, e.g., neurochemical, electrical, seizure, and ephaptic, and (2) inhibition, e.g., destruction of normally inhibitory functions, resulting in disinhibition as in the Charles Bonnet and phantom limb syndromes. Functional neuroimaging procedures suggest anatomical associations for hallucinations. While hallucinations may be a symptom of medical, neurologic, and psychiatric disorders, they may also occur in a wide range of human experiences.

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