Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) , “déjà vu” phenomenon and religious experiences

Abstract

A lot of controversies appear regarding temporal lobe epilepsy to bridge the gap between religion and neuroscience. TLE was described in literature in 1869 by Russian writer Dostoievski (who suffered from epilepsy), in his work ”The Idiot”, when the hero Prince Myshkin described his epileptic feelings of sublime sacredness of the inner light. Neurotheology is the science trying to understand the brain activities and to find an integration in religion concepts. TLE aura or psychic crisis is defined by simple or complex hallucinations, mystic divine experience, unpleasant experience of fear and deja vu phenomenon. Neppe and Funkhouser (2006) described the notion as already seen, but it means also already heard,met, heard or visited. The“deja vu” phenomenon is always a subjective experience which can appear in normal subjects or in pathologic states like TLE, schizophrenia or other types of psychosis. It can also be a subjective paranormal experience. Neppe’s definition is now universally used, defined as ‘any subjectively inappropriate impression of familiarity of the present experience with an undefined past’ (Neppe, 1983). Deja vu has an impact on neuroscience and descriptions from history and literature and the multitude of descriptions from experiences demand various scientific explanations.