Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations during sleep paralysis: neurological and cultural construction of the night-mare.

摘要: Hypnagogic and hypnopompic experiences (HHEs) accompanying sleep paralysis (SP) are often cited as sources of accounts supernatural nocturnal assaults paranormal experiences. Descriptions such remarkably consistent across time cultures also with known mechanisms REM states. A three-factor structural model HHEs based on their relations both to cultural narratives neurophysiology is developed tested several large samples. One factor, labeled Intruder, consisting sensed presence, fear, auditory visual hallucinations, conjectured originate in a hypervigilant state initiated the midbrain. Another Incubus, comprising pressure chest, breathing difficulties, pain, attributed effects hyperpolarization motoneurons perceptions respiration. These two factors have common an implied alien "other" occult identified numerous contemporary historical cultures. third Unusual Bodily Experiences, floating/flying sensations, out-of-body experiences, feelings bliss, related physically impossible generated by conflicts endogenous exogenous activation body position, orientation, movement. Implications this last factor for understanding orientational primacy self-consciousness considered. Central features here recent work hallucinations associated hypnosis schizophrenia.