Astral Projection: A Strange Out-of-Body Experience in Dissociative Disorder.

Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are hallucinatory visual experiences that involve seeing the physical body placed in an external visual space. Many psychiatric disorders, brain dysfunctions, pharmacological agents, and altered psychological states are reportedly associated with these phenomena. OBEs have been linked to various brain lesions, particularly in the parietal and temporal regions, psychiatric disorders, severe emotional states like a near-death experience, substance use, migraine, and epilepsy, but very few have been reported in dissociative identity disorder. In this report, we present the case of a 15-year-old male patient who described a strange experience where he found himself to be floating outside his own body while he visualized his own body from a third-person perspective. On further evaluation, a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder and dissociative fugue was formulated. The patient showed improvement after undergoing abreaction, hypnosis, and relaxation training along with supportive psychotherapy. Dissociative disorders occur due to an internal conflict between ego and self, when a person is unable to successfully repress a traumatic experience, or when a repressed memory or experience comes out of the cocooned barrier, leading to an altered state of perception and self-experience, which is described by the patient as OBE. This report presents a scarce differential in the context of psychiatric illness, which might be helpful in the formulation of approaches toward management in cases of such OBE, making it a strange yet intriguing addition to the literature.

Experiências fora do corpo: aspectos históricos e neurocientíficos / Out-of-body experiences: historical and neuroscientifical aspects

A experiência fora do corpo (EFC) é definida como uma sensação subjetiva de ter saído dos limites físicos do corpo, tendo uma longa história registrada em diversas culturas. Conhecida também como “desdobramento do espírito” ou “projeção astral” nos círculos esotéricos, a EFC é estreitamente ligada à autoscopia, que é a experiência do sujeito enxergar o próprio corpo físico como se o mesmo estivesse distante. Na presente revisão bibliográfica, faremos inicialmente um breve apanhado histórico das EFC, principalmente na sua relação com as tradições Egípcia, Budista, Teosófica e Espírita. Posteriormente, nos deteremos aosachados neurocientíficos recentes sobre o tema, enfatizando os mecanismos centrados nas regiões do giro angular e junção têmporo-parietal. Estas regiões são responsáveis pela integração das informações visuais, auditivas, vestibulares e somestésicas, participando assim da formação da imagem corporal e, consequentemente, da noção de eu. Por último, discutiremos aspectos clínicos relacionados com a EFC, que passa a ser considerada doença se acontecer de forma frequente ou intensa, causando algum prejuízo físico, mental e/ou social a quem a experimenta(AU)

The out-of-body experience (OBE) is defined as a subjective feeling of leaving the body’s physical limits, which was reported in various cultures. Also called as “unfolding of the spirit” or “astral projecti on” in esoteric language, the OBE is closely linked to autoscopy, which is the experience of the subject to see his/her own physical body as if it is far away. In this review article, we will initi ally describe a brief history of OBE, especially in its relati onship with the Egyptian, Buddhist, Theosophical and Spiritualist traditi ons. Subsequently, we will focus on recent neuroscienti fi c fi ndings on this theme, emphasizing the mechanisms centered on the angular gyrus and the temporo-parietal junction. These regions are responsible for the integration of visual, auditory, vestibular and somesthesic information, thereby participating in the formation of body image, and consequently, the notion of “self”. Finally, we will discuss clinical aspects that are related to the OBE, which is considered a disease when happens too frequently or intensely, causing any physical, mental and/or social harm to those who experience it(AU)

Experiências fora do corpo: aspectos históricos e neurocientíficos / Out-of-body experiences: historical and neuroscientifical aspects

A experiência fora do corpo (EFC) é definida como uma sensação subjetiva de ter saído dos limites físicos do corpo, tendo uma longa história registrada em diversas culturas. Conhecida também como "desdobramento do espírito" ou "projeção astral" nos círculos esotéricos, a EFC é estreitamente ligada à autoscopia, que é a experiência do sujeito enxergar o próprio corpo físico como se o mesmo estivesse distante. Na presente revisão bibliográfica, faremos inicialmente um breve apanhado histórico das EFC, principalmente na sua relação com as tradições Egípcia, Budista, Teosófica e Espírita. Posteriormente, nos deteremos aos achados neurocientíficos recentes sobre o tema, enfatizando os mecanismos centrados nas regiões do giro angular e junção têmporo-parietal. Estas regiões são responsáveis pela integração das informações visuais, auditivas, vestibulares e somestésicas, participando assim da formação da imagem corporal e, consequentemente, da noção de eu. Por último, discutiremos aspectos clínicos relacionados com a EFC, que passa a ser considerada doença se acontecer de forma frequente ou intensa, causando algum prejuízo físico, mental e/ou social a quem a experimenta

The out-of-body experience (OBE) is defined as a subjective feeling of leaving the body's physical limits, which was reported in various cultures. Also called as "unfolding of the spirit" or "astral projecti on" in esoteric language, the OBE is closely linked to autoscopy, which is the experience of the subject to see his/her own physical body as if it is far away. In this review article, we will initi ally describe a brief history of OBE, especially in its relati onship with the Egyptian, Buddhist, Theosophical and Spiritualist traditi ons. Subsequently, we will focus on recent neuroscienti fi c fi ndings on this theme, emphasizing the mechanisms centered on the angular gyrus and the temporo-parietal junction. These regions are responsible for the integration of visual, auditory, vestibular and somesthesic information, thereby participating in the formation of body image, and consequently, the notion of "self". Finally, we will discuss clinical aspects that are related to the OBE, which is considered a disease when happens too frequently or intensely, causing any physical, mental and/or social harm to those who experience it