Share this @internewscast.com

The patient said the distortions, severely stretched features of the face, with deep grooves on the forehead, cheeks, and chin, were present on every person’s face. (Photo: thelancet.com)

In prosopometamorphopsia, parts of the faces of other people appear ‘distorted’ in shape, texture, position or colour. Some aspects and other parts of the body, however, remain undisturbed, rendering a demonic or alien-like look.

Imagine waking up one morning and going about your day, only to find that the faces of people around you have all become distorted, appearing to be ‘demonic’, with weirdly-pointy ears and a grimace-like grin. How unsettling will this experience be. It happened recently to a man in Nashville, US. According to a report in CNN, one Victor Sharrah, 59, woke up on a winter morning and sat on his couch watching TV when his roommate entered the room. “Looking at him, I’m like, ‘What am I seeing?'” he told the publication. When his roommate’s girlfriend walked in, her face appeared to be terrifying, too. He described their once-familiar faces as having a ‘grimace’, ‘elongated eyes’ and ‘deeply-etched scars’. When they looked to the side, ‘pointy ears suddenly appeared’.

‘Staring At Demons’

This experience upset him so much, Sharrah said it was like ‘staring at demons’. He went out and realised everyone’s faces were distorted and they continued to look the same. “Imagine waking up one morning and suddenly everybody in the world looks like a creature in a horror movie,” he told CNN.

Prosopometamorphopsia Diagnosis

It appears that the man has a rare condition called prosopometamorphopsia, or PMO. “I helped create a computer-generated 2D picture of what I see in faces, but there is so much more to it,” Sharrah was quoted as saying. Research on his case was published in the ‘Clinical Pictures’ section of The Lancet, which is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal.

“What people don’t understand from a picture is that the distorted face is moving, contorting, talking to you, making facial gestures. It does kind of distance me from other people a bit. I try not to let it because I know what it is, it is PMO. Yet, I feel like I am not getting as close to people as I used to,” the patient said.

What Is Prosopometamorphopsia?

In PMO, parts of the faces of other people appear ‘distorted’ in shape, texture, position or colour. Some aspects and other parts of the body, however, remain undisturbed, rendering a demonic or alien-like look.

The Lancet reported that the patient said the distortions — severely stretched features of the face, with deep grooves on the forehead, cheeks, and chin — were present on every person’s face he encountered, but no distortions were present when he looked at inanimate objects like houses or cars. The patient also said even though the faces were distorted, he was still able to recognise who they were.

Interestingly, the man reported no distortions when viewing facial images on a screen or on paper.

Treatment

According to sciencenews.org, if it is properly diagnosed, neurologists may be able to treat the condition that is causing the PMO, like seizures or a stroke. But, the specific mechanism behind the distortions remains unknown. They sometimes affect people with no apparent underlying conditions.




Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Boost Your Alertness with a Simple 5p Sweet: Study Reveals Surprising Benefits as Clocks Roll Back

The study uncovered the benefits of the herb, which may come in…

Grandmother’s Dramatic 5-Stone Weight Loss with Mounjaro Exposes Unexpected ‘Melted Welly’ Effect

A grandmother from Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, who shed five stone with the help…

Crucial Alert for Wood Burner Owners: Safety Tips You Can’t Ignore

A stark alert has been sounded for individuals using wood burners and…

Revolutionary 20-Minute Facial Massage Technique Goes Viral for Instantly Enhancing Jawline

A new viral beauty trend is gaining traction on TikTok and Instagram,…

From Rollercoaster Rejection to Transformation: Woman Invests £5,000 in Mummy Makeover After Benidorm Snub

Following a distressing experience at a theme park in Benidorm, a mother…

From Housebound to Healthy: My Inspiring 9-Stone Weight Loss Journey

A remarkable journey of transformation has seen a young woman shed half…

Groundbreaking Discovery: Embracing Gray Hair May Offer Cancer Protection, Say Scientists

A recent study suggests that graying hair might be the body’s natural…

Discover How a 45-Year-Old Man Reversed Hair Loss and Shed 8 Stone Naturally: The Key Test Every Man Needs to Know for Beating the Dad Bod

Mike Denman, a father of two, vividly recalls the pivotal moment when…

Tragic Losses: Remembering 16 Stars from TLC’s ‘My 600-lb Life’ Who Passed Away After the Show

The reality TV community is mourning as the death toll from the…

Unlock Cozy Winter Slumber: Simple Hand & Foot Remedy for Better Sleep Without Raising the Heat

There’s a trick to nodding off during chillier nights (Image: Getty) Autumn…

Persistent Fatigue: Could It Indicate a Rare Health Condition?

In today’s fast-paced world, fatigue is a common complaint, but for those…