Observations placeholder
Olfactory hallucinations in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder
Identifier
014726
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
If the sentence highlighted is correctly worded, the authors are saying that some smells cannot have come from memory or anything the person has perceived.
This is a stunning piece of research as all inputs have to come from somewhere and if they don't come from the person then they must have come from beyond the mind. This is proof of spirit.
A description of the experience
Psychiatry Res. 2011 Feb 28;185(3):321-7. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2010.07.032. Epub 2010 Aug 19.
Olfactory hallucinations in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: a phenomenological survey.
Stevenson RJ1, Langdon R, McGuire J.
Olfactory hallucinations (OHs), so it has been argued, are prognostic of a poorer outcome, are unpleasant, and cannot be well explained within current theoretical accounts of hallucinations.
We examined these and related issues by conducting structured interviews with 51 participants who experienced OHs and who were previously diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We found no relationship between disease severity measures and type or frequency of OHs. As with prior research, we too noted the predominance of negative OHs, but with many reports of positive OHs, and also found significant relationships between frequency of OHs and severity of tactile hallucinations.
We then examined whether odor imagery or involuntary memory might account for the presence of OHs, but these possibilities were not well supported.
We then explored, using cluster analysis, whether or not our sample was homogenous. Two clusters were of especial interest; one which may reflect a 'sensory dysfunction group' and one characterized by more severe tactile hallucinations. The presence of tactile hallucinations may suggest a further novel cause of OHs, which we discuss. Our data suggest diverse causes for OHs in schizophrenia, none of which are consistent with current models of hallucinations in other modalities.
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PMID: 20727597