One of these steps involves “shutting down” the brain cells that are responsible for hearing, called the auditory neurons, he said. “Going to sleep is sort of like shutting down a computer,” Sharpless said: The brain goes through a series of steps. This area, located in the brain stem at the back of a person's head, is responsible for helping a person go to sleep, said Sharpless, who is also the editor of the book Unusual and Rare Psychological Disorders (Oxford University Press, 2016). Scientists still don't know why this phenomenon occurs, but one of the more popular theories involves a part of the brain called the reticular formation, Sharpless told Live Science. In a previous study, Sharpless found that about 13.5 percent of people experience the phenomenon at some point during their lives. When a person with exploding head syndrome is either falling asleep or waking up, he or she may hear a thunderously loud noise, said study author Brian Sharpless, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University in Virginia. Rather, the phenomenon is considered to be a “sensory” sleep disorder, according to the study. Little is known about this startling syndrome, but it does appear to be more common than previously thought, said the study, which was published online April 6 in the journal Cephalalgia.ĭespite the condition's name, no actual explosions take place when a person has exploding head syndrome. Fisher is the Maslah Saul MD Professor of Neurology at the Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, CA, and director of the Stanford Epilepsy Center.The sound of an object crashing to the ground or the sight of a bright flash of light: These are some of the things that people with a condition called exploding head syndrome can sense, even though the events did not really occur, a new study finds. For example, warnings about the potential for seizures have been added to many video games, and flashing emergency lights can flash only once every two seconds, a frequency below the number needed to trigger a seizure.ĭr. Recently, efforts have been made to reduce the risk of a seizure for people with photo-sensitive epilepsy. Consider wearing nonglare glasses, and take frequent breaks. Using a computer: Use a flicker-free monitor (LCD display or flat screen) and a glare guard. Cover one eye while playing, alternating which eye is covered, and remember to turn off the game if strange or unusual feelings or body jerks develop. Do not close and open eyes while looking at the screen blinking can trigger a seizure. Take frequent breaks from the games and look away from the screen every once in a while. Playing video games: Sit at least two feet from the screen in a well-lit room and reduce the brightness of the screen. If necessary, wear polarized sunglasses to reduce glare. Avoid watching the monitor for long periods of time. Watching TV: Watch in a well-lit room to reduce the contrast between light from the set and light in the room and sit as far back from the screen as possible. Stripes of contrasting colors and flashing lights on tops of buses or emergency vehicles are other triggers. Natural light, such as sunlight, especially when shimmering off water or flickering through trees or through the slats of window blinds, can also trigger seizures in some people. Other triggers include flickering or rolling images on a TV screen or computer monitor, video games or TV broadcasts containing rapid flashes or alternating patterns of different colors, and intense strobe lights like visual fire alarms. Other Light TriggersĪ flashing light is just one potential trigger. If they see an electrical buildup on the monitor they know to turn off the lights. Technicians usually alert patients about the potential for a reaction and monitor for it. As part of a routine EEG, a strobe light flashes at different frequencies while a technician monitors the recording. Most people who've been diagnosed with epilepsy undergo an electroencephalogram (EEG), which has its own flashing light. Many people are unaware of a sensitivity to flickering lights or certain patterns until they have a seizure. Due to a condition called photosensitive epilepsy, lights can trigger seizures in one in 10,000 adults and one in 4,000 children and adolescents. Fisher, MD, PhD, FAAN, responds:įor about 3 percent of people with epilepsy, exposure to flashing lights at certain intensities or certain visual patterns can trigger seizures, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. Ask Your Neurologist October/November 2017Ĭan a Bright Light or Strobe Light Cause a Seizure?
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