$Unique_ID{BRK01153}
$Pretitle{Mental and Emotional Conditions}
$Title{Is There Any Medical Explanation for "Deja Vu"?}
$Subject{sensation memory deja vu}
$Volume{E}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Is There Any Medical Explanation for "Deja Vu"?


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QUESTION:  After a brief run to the grocery for some provisions, I returned
home and entered the kitchen, when suddenly I had the weird feeling that I was
repeating actions I had lived before.  No matter what I did, it seemed that it
happened before.  I thought I was losing my mind.  Do you know if there is any
medical explanation for this experience?  I need some reassurances.

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ANSWER:  If this was the first time you have experienced the sensation that
all you were doing had happened before, it can be a truly eerie feeling.  But
the fact is, experts estimate that almost two thirds of all adults have gone
through this experience at one time or another.  It is known as "deja vu",
from the French words meaning "already seen".  Though it may seem a bit
frightening at first, it is not a symptom of any underlying illness, and you
are most certainly not losing your mind.  No one knows for sure just what sets
off this type of experience, but there are a lot of very interesting theories
and much speculation.  One theory is that the electrical impulses in the part
of the brain dealing with memory and familiarity suddenly fire off
spontaneously and make you think that you are experiencing something over
again.  Another explanation that relates to brain function suggests that one
side of the brain is aware of an experience just fractions of a second before
the other side receives its stimuli, which then thinks it is "reexperiencing"
it.  Frequently familiar smells and odors, of baking or cooking for example
can set off old memories of days past, and make you think that today's doings
are just repeats of remembered activity.  What ever the cause, it is clear
that it is not an experience that should cause you any concern.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
