Alice in Wonderland Syndrome Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Alice in Wonderland syndrome is a rare neurological condition. There are even allegations that this case only occurs a few times in a lifetime in people who experience it.
This condition is characterized by a distortion of one’s perception, in which the individual or objects around him do not appear as they should. For example smaller, bigger, farther, closer, and so on.
Symptom
People who have Alice in Wonderland syndrome may experience a number of signs and symptoms, where they feel:
- Members of the body or objects around it appear larger, smaller, closer, or farther than they really are
- Straight lines appear wavy
- An object that is not moving appears to be moving
- Three-dimensional objects appear flat
- Objects appear discolored or tilted
- The face looks distorted
- The colors appear lighter
- Other people or objects around them seem to change shape
Reason
It is not known exactly what causes the perceptual changes in Alice in Wonderland syndrome. However, this condition often begins to appear in childhood.
Alice in Wonderland syndrome is thought to involve changes in certain parts of the brain associated with sensory information, which is related to what a person sees or hears. These changes can affect the perception of the body itself and its relationship with the world and the environment around it.
Experts also suspect that Alice in Wonderland syndrome is related to the aura of migraine-type headaches. Aura is another visual and sensory disturbance experienced by some individuals before migraine-type headaches occur.
The aura experienced can be in the form of seeing flashes of light, seeing dots, ringing in the ears, or a tingling feeling in the hands. Alice in Wonderland syndrome can be experienced by someone before, during, or after a migraine-type headache occurs.
However, this syndrome can also occur with several other conditions, such as:
- Epilepsy
- Certain infections, such as infection with the Epstein-Barr virus
- Strokes
- Depression or schizophrenia
- Consumption of certain drugs
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of Alice in Wonderland syndrome can be determined from a detailed medical interview, direct physical examination, and certain investigations.
Several types of supporting examinations that can be carried out are:
- Blood test. Blood tests can be done by taking a blood sample from a vein to see if there is an infection due to certain viruses.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. This examination uses high-power magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images of the structure of the brain.
- Electroencephalogram (EEG). This examination evaluates the electrical activity in the brain.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for Alice in Wonderland syndrome. However, doctors can prescribe certain medications to help treat underlying health conditions.
Prevention
In people who experience Alice in Wonderland syndrome associated with migraine-type headaches, it is advisable to avoid things that are known to commonly trigger migraine attacks in that individual. Some of the common triggers for migraine-type headaches are alcohol, sweeteners containing aspartame, certain types of cheese, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and processed meats.