Observations placeholder
Mair, Francis M - Bizarre Images from Beta blockers 2
Identifier
012285
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Bizarre linages and Beta-Adrenergic Blocking Agents: A Unique Case Report - Ray H. Rosenman, M.D.* & Jack D. Maser, Ph.D.**
• Associate Chief (Retired), Department of Medicine, Mount Zion Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco; Director of Cardiovascular Research (Retired), Health Sciences Program, SRI International, Menlo Park, California.
**Chief. Clinical Review Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
In a letter dated January 1984, Francis further wrote: "They have certainly had an influence on how I look at some things. I'm surprised at how many are distorted human visages."
The patient had made sketches of these images literally at the times of their occurrence and was now requested to set them on paper; several of them are presented with this article. Mr. Mair claimed that he was wakened by seeing the images, which he said crossed the back of his closed eyes. Dreams are often bizarre, but seldom remembered.
It is possible that this beta-blocker made the image sufficiently vivid that they awoke him and could be remembered.
It is of interest that he had no central nervous system manifestations while taking propranolol or metoprolol. Although propranolol, metoprolol and pindolol are all betaadrenergic receptor blocking agents that occasionally cause dreams, nightmares, and hallucinations, only pindolol also has intrinsic sympathomimetic activity and is described as causing bizarre dreams. Those experienced and portrayed by Mr. Mair appear to be a unique representation and, in saying this, the reader is cautioned to consider the limits on the extent to which Mair's experience can be generalized.
