What is Prosopometamorphopsia (PMO)
Different from the more widely recognised facial blindness, prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) is a rare visual condition. Face blindness makes it more difficult to recognize faces, but PMO immerses them in a world where well-known features take on horrifying alterations. In contrast to facial blindness, the problem for those with PMO is skewed perception rather than recognition. PMO sufferers see faces as bizarre, twisted landscapes with accentuated lines. Mouths open wide, eyes swell, and formerly recognisable faces take on completely new appearances. Every encounter offers a different visual labyrinth, with distortions that differ in strength and shape. The experiences of people with PMO are as varied as they are unsettling, ranging from seeing their reflection tarnished by protruding eyes to seeing the features of others twisted like funhouse mirrors.
A Glimpse into Patient Experience
Dr. Antônio Mello’s account of a PMO patient’s journey reveals the terrifying experiences with warped reality. Easy chores like grocery shopping become difficult undertakings with faces like a horde of demons. ( reported by CNN) The symptoms of prosopometamorphopsia (PM) and prosopagnosia, which are seen in the early stages of a hemorrhagic stroke caused by complications from endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms and anticoagulant medication, are explained by a case report published in 2014 by Bala et al. PM, a visual disorder characterized by distorted perceptions of faces, was evident in the female patient’s experience, as she described faces appearing younger or older than reality, or as if they were dirty, swollen, or displaying grimaces. Additionally, she grappled with symptoms of prosopagnosia, manifesting as difficulty recognizing familiar faces, including those of her husband and daughter. However, in a follow-up interview conducted six months after the initial examination, the patient reported spontaneous withdrawal of the visual disturbances, indicating a potential for recovery or resolution of these symptoms over time.
Understanding the disease
Due to a lack of information, many individuals with PMO may be mistakenly diagnosed with schizophrenia or other related hallucinatory disorders, treated with antipsychotic drugs, or placed in an institution, according to Dartmouth doctorate student AntoÂnio Vitor Reis Goncalves Mello, the case study’s first author and a psychological and brain sciences student.
But as research has recently discovered, PMO can occur with a brain injury, tumour, infection, or seizures like those associated with epilepsy, he added.
“A piece of good evidence is that in more than 50% of cases with half-face distortions, for example, the patient has a lesion to a particular part of the brain,” Mello said. “In those cases, we’re confident they’re not making it up, so when other people come along and report very similar experiences it seems unlikely that they are not being truthful.” (reported by CNN)
Treatment Perspectives
PMO is treated using a multidisciplinary approach that includes cognitive rehabilitation, vision therapy, and medication management. Together, neurologists, ophthalmologists, psychologists, and rehabilitation specialists provide all-encompassing care customized to meet the specific needs of each patient. Drugs that address underlying neurological disorders, such as migraine or stroke, may help control symptoms; vision therapy, which includes exercises for rehabilitation and prism lenses, helps the patient adjust to visual distortions. While sensory adaption procedures expose patients to regular visual stimuli to lessen distortions, cognitive rehabilitation provides patients with compensatory mechanisms for face recognition. Psychotherapy helps with emotional effects such as depression or anxiety, guaranteeing PMO patients receive comprehensive care. Despite its enigmatic nature, PMO remains a focus of research and advocacy, with experts striving to illuminate its mysteries and alleviate its burden. As awareness grows and treatment avenues expand, the journey towards unravelling PMO’s complexities continues, promising a brighter outlook for those navigating distorted realities.