Many Faces of Déjà Vu: a Narrative Review

Psychiatr Danub. 2018 Mar;30(1):21-25. doi: 10.24869/psyd.2018.21.

Abstract

French expression standing for the phrase "already seen" is a déjà vu. It is thought that as much as 97% of the population have experienced déjà vu at least once in their lifetime and 67% experience it regularly. The explanations of this phenomenon in novels and poems include reincarnation, dreams, organic factors, and unconscious memories. In this narrative review connection between déjà vu and various other conditions has been mentioned: false memories, temporal lobe epilepsy and other neurological conditions. In psychiatric patients déjà vu phenomenon is more often seen in patients with anxiety and people with derealisation/ depersonalization. It seems that temporal region is the origin of déjà vu phenomena in both healthy individuals and in individuals with neurological and psychiatric conditions, but the exact mechanism of this phenomenon is however still unknown. More attention should also be given to déjà vu from philosophical and religious perspectives as well. Déjà vu is still an enigma which could only be revealed with multidisciplinary approach through cooperation between neurologists, brain scientists, psychiatrists and experimental psychologists.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Deja Vu / psychology*
  • Depersonalization / physiopathology
  • Depersonalization / psychology
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / physiopathology
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / psychology
  • Humans
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Intersectoral Collaboration
  • Male
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / physiopathology
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / psychology
  • Repression, Psychology