Victims of Capgras syndrome often cannot recognize their own image

  • Thread starter Ivan Seeking
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In summary: I remember seeing a pic of Michael Jackson before he changed his hair and he had a really broad nose. I couldn't identify the pic after he changed his hair...In summary, a woman wakes up to find that her right hand has become attached to her arm, and she can't shake the feeling that the hand is controlled by somebody else.
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Ivan Seeking
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But in her case, she believed the woman whose reflection she encountered in the mirrors and windows around her house was there to torment her, to steal her husband -- the woman was clearly a stalker. Rosamond called her a "hussy" and went into hysterics whenever she saw her.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03266/224822.stm
 
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Originally posted by Ivan Seeking
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03266/224822.stm

Life is stranger than fiction
 
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Originally posted by Greg Bernhardt
Life is stranger than fiction

Have you heard of this one?
IT IS THE STUFF of nightmares ... and horror movies. A woman awakens from a troubled sleep; it is dark; a hand tightens around her neck, vicious and implacable; with her right hand, she tries desperately to pull it off. And then, as she struggles, she realizes who her assailant is: her own left hand. Even after she pulls it away, she is too frightened to fall back asleep.

This scenario describes some of the more extreme behavior associated with an unusual condition known as Alien Hand Syndrome (AHS).

http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/0398/neuro3.html

Also, some technical references:
Persons with injuries to the brain including, of course, the corpus callosum, sometimes report that one of their limbs, typically an arm, acts as though it belongs to somebody else. Here are the abstracts of 15 recent articles on the subject from the 1994-1996 literature.

http://www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/alienhand-psy.html
 
  • #4
Fantastic articles, Ivan. Just great. This part cracked me up tho:

Another memorable patient, C.T., had suffered a head injury in a motorcycle accident and appeared not to recognize faces. Eventually, however, Farah's team discovered that he could recognize some famous faces from before his injury. In fact, he could identify photos of the young Michael Jackson taken before the time of C.T.'s brain injury -- which showed the singer with a broad nose and an Afro hairstyle -- but he could not identify photos of Jackson taken after his cosmetic makeover!

...the hell you say! How could that possibly be!?

heh.
 
  • #5
but he could not identify photos of Jackson taken after his cosmetic makeover!

I have had this problem also...
 

1. What is Capgras syndrome?

Capgras syndrome is a psychological disorder in which a person believes that someone close to them, such as a family member or friend, has been replaced by an imposter.

2. How does Capgras syndrome affect a person's perception of their own image?

People with Capgras syndrome often struggle to recognize their own image, believing that they are also an imposter or that their reflection is not their own. This is due to a disconnect between their cognitive and emotional responses to familiar faces.

3. What causes Capgras syndrome?

The exact cause of Capgras syndrome is not fully understood. It is believed to be a result of a combination of factors, including brain injuries, mental health disorders, and changes in brain chemistry.

4. Is there a treatment for Capgras syndrome?

There is currently no specific treatment for Capgras syndrome, but symptoms can be managed through therapy, medication, and support from loved ones. Some cases may also resolve on their own over time.

5. Can Capgras syndrome be prevented?

There is no known way to prevent Capgras syndrome, as the underlying causes are not fully understood. However, it may be helpful to seek treatment for underlying mental health disorders and to avoid brain injuries when possible.

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