91download.com supports a wide range of platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Dailymotion, Reddit, Bilibili, Douyin, Xiaohongshu and Zhihu, etc. Click the download button below to parse and download the current video
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see the world through someone else's eyes, especially when those eyes perceive faces as melting, grotesque masks? This isn't a scene from a horror flick; it's the reality for individuals suffering from a rare and intriguing condition known as Prosopometamorphopsia, or PMO.
Imagine stepping out into the world and encountering not just people, but faces that seem to be melting before your eyes. This surreal experience is the daily lived reality for those with PMO. Unlike the static images of a horror film, these distortions are alive, dynamic, and terrifyingly real for the sufferers.
PMO is a disorder that distorts facial features, making mouths stretch widely, noses twist, and eyes droop down the face. One fascinating case involves a patient who saw distortions in person but not on a computer screen, leading to a collaboration with researchers that helped visualize these distortions. The patient described these faces as "demonic," a sentiment echoed in the artwork of another sufferer from the 1960s, whose paintings depicted not just distorted shapes but also a overwhelming sense of strangeness.
With only over 80 cases documented, PMO is incredibly rare, yet it offers a profound glimpse into how we process faces. The condition typically affects only faces, leaving other objects and body parts untouched. Symptoms can vary widely, from distortions in others' faces to the sufferer's own reflection in the mirror, and can impact either the left, right, or both halves of the face. These distortions can last from mere hours to several years.
The terror of PMO isn't just in the visual distortions but also in the psychological impact. Sufferers often fear they are developing a severe mental illness, leading to self-isolation. Unfortunately, when they do seek help, they are frequently misdiagnosed with psychiatric disorders rather than the visual system disorder that PMO truly is.
In approximately 75% of cases, PMO is linked to brain damage, particularly in areas responsible for basic visual processing. These cases reveal that our ability to process the spatial layout of faces and recognize specific individuals are likely separate processes. Damage to the left side of the brain, for instance, is associated with distortions on the right side of faces, suggesting a complex interplay between the brain's hemispheres.
PMO patients are shedding light on the stages of visual processing, from the initial perception of an object's position relative to our eyes to the final assignment of meaning. Faces, traditionally thought to be processed differently from objects, are now seen in a new light, thanks to a patient with corpus callosum damage who experienced distortions regardless of whether the face was right side up or upside down.
While the sight of melting faces is undoubtedly terrifying, sharing these experiences can lead to a better understanding of the condition and potential treatments. If you or someone you know encounters this phenomenon, don't hesitate to reach out to the Social Perception Lab at Dartmouth University.
In conclusion, PMO offers a unique window into the complexities of the human brain and the visual system. By understanding and sharing these experiences, we can unlock the secrets of face processing and provide relief to those who see the world through a lens of distortion.
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook