Biomaterial Database

The cultural context of visual hallucinations. 2008

W D Knight, and N C Fox, and M N Rossor, and J D Warren

Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, 8-11 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.

Visual hallucinations (VH) are a cardinal neuropsychiatric symptom and often have important diagnostic implications. The interpretation of VH is influenced by the patient's social and cultural milieu, but the impact of socio-cultural factors on the interpretation, presentation and detection of VH has been little studied. When patients exhibit VH and other neuropsychiatric phenomena, appropriate sensitivity to the role of cultural factors is an important determinant of the success of the medical consultation. We discuss this issue using three illustrative cases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D012067	Religion	A set of beliefs concerning the nature, cause, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency. It usually involves devotional and ritual observances and often a moral code for the conduct of human affairs. (Random House Collegiate Dictionary, rev. ed.)	Prayer,Religious Beliefs,Religious Ethics,Beliefs, Religious,Ethic, Religious,Prayers,Religions,Religious Belief
D003469	Culture	A collective expression for all behavior patterns acquired and socially transmitted through symbols. Culture includes customs, traditions, and language.	Cultural Relativism,Customs,Beliefs,Cultural Background,Background, Cultural,Backgrounds, Cultural,Belief,Cultural Backgrounds,Cultural Relativisms,Cultures,Relativism, Cultural,Relativisms, Cultural
D005260	Female		Females
D006212	Hallucinations	Subjectively experienced sensations in the absence of an appropriate stimulus, but which are regarded by the individual as real. They may be of organic origin or associated with MENTAL DISORDERS.	Hallucination of Body Sensation,Hallucinations, Auditory,Hallucinations, Dissociative,Hallucinations, Elementary,Hallucinations, Formed, of People,Hallucinations, Gustatory,Hallucinations, Hypnagogic,Hallucinations, Hypnapompic,Hallucinations, Internal Body Sensation,Hallucinations, Kinesthetic,Hallucinations, Mood Congruent,Hallucinations, Mood Incongruent,Hallucinations, Olfactory,Hallucinations, Organic,Hallucinations, Reflex,Hallucinations, Sensory,Hallucinations, Somatic,Hallucinations, Tactile,Hallucinations, Verbal Auditory,Hallucinations, Visual,Hallucinations, Visual, Formed,Hallucinations, Visual, Unformed,Auditory Hallucination,Auditory Hallucination, Verbal,Auditory Hallucinations,Auditory Hallucinations, Verbal,Body Sensation Hallucination,Body Sensation Hallucinations,Dissociative Hallucination,Dissociative Hallucinations,Elementary Hallucination,Elementary Hallucinations,Gustatory Hallucination,Gustatory Hallucinations,Hallucination,Hallucination, Auditory,Hallucination, Dissociative,Hallucination, Elementary,Hallucination, Gustatory,Hallucination, Hypnagogic,Hallucination, Hypnapompic,Hallucination, Kinesthetic,Hallucination, Mood Congruent,Hallucination, Mood Incongruent,Hallucination, Olfactory,Hallucination, Organic,Hallucination, Reflex,Hallucination, Sensory,Hallucination, Somatic,Hallucination, Tactile,Hallucination, Verbal Auditory,Hallucination, Visual,Hypnagogic Hallucination,Hypnagogic Hallucinations,Hypnapompic Hallucination,Hypnapompic Hallucinations,Kinesthetic Hallucination,Kinesthetic Hallucinations,Mood Congruent Hallucination,Mood Congruent Hallucinations,Mood Incongruent Hallucination,Mood Incongruent Hallucinations,Olfactory Hallucination,Olfactory Hallucinations,Organic Hallucination,Organic Hallucinations,Reflex Hallucination,Reflex Hallucinations,Sensory Hallucination,Sensory Hallucinations,Somatic Hallucination,Somatic Hallucinations,Tactile Hallucination,Tactile Hallucinations,Verbal Auditory Hallucination,Verbal Auditory Hallucinations,Visual Hallucination,Visual Hallucinations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly