Abstracts

This study investigates the topic of hyperreligiosity in epilepsy by seeking a relationship between experiential aura symptoms and spirituality. We reasoned that patients with auras that are suggestive of metaphysical phenomena ([quot]numinous-like auras[quot], or NLA) would have supernatural beliefs that correspond to their unworldly experiences. Auras that were categorized as NLAs included: dreaminess, the feeling of leaving one[apos]s body, the sense that things do not seem real, the sense that time has sped up/slowed down, bodily distortion, other depersonalizing feelings, and, pleasurable feelings. We hypothesized that patients with greater NLAs would have increased ictal and interictal spirituality as measured by the Experiential Phenomenological Dimension (EPD) and Paranormal Beliefs (PB) factors of the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory Revised (ESI-R) (MacDonald, 1997; 2000)., Thirty-eight patients with focal seizures and/or focal seizures with secondary generalization were interviewed about their auras, and filled out the ESI-R for their ictal and interictal symptoms (separately). Subjects endorsed a score of 0-4 (0 = symptom never occurs, to 4 = symptom occurs every seizure) for each possible NLA. Scores for each symptom were then added to get a total NLA score. Comparison groups consisted of patients with low (0-4) and high (6-16) NLA scores., As hypothesized, patients in the high NLA group had significantly greater ictal EPD ([italic]p[/italic] [lt].01), ictal PB ([italic]p [/italic][lt] .05), interictal EPD ([italic]p [/italic][lt] .01) and interictal PB ([italic]p [/italic][lt] .05) scores compared to the low NLA group., The significant ictal EPD results suggest that NLA symptoms are a valid construct, and may resemble elements of mystical experiences. The interictal EPD results suggest that patients with increased NLAs are inclined towards spiritual experiences even when they are not (subjectively) having seizures. The significant findings for ictal and interictal PB indicate that patients with increased NLAs have paranormal belief systems that match their seemingly metaphysical experiences. Whether patients adopt paranormal beliefs to explain their numinous-like auras, or numinous-like auras are an expression of preexisting beliefs, is a topic for future research. These findings support a positive relationship between aura symptoms and corresponding beliefs and personality traits, and add to the controversial debate about hyperreligiosity in epilepsy., (Supported by the Epilepsy Foundation, Behavioral Sciences Student Fellowship.)