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Migraine Auras May Explain Historical Religious Visions
For centuries, individuals have recounted experiences once attributed to profound spiritual revelations. These accounts often describe sudden, dazzling lights, swirling colors, and even visions of celestial cities, frequently accompanied by severe head pain. However, contemporary neurological research suggests a medical explanation for these phenomena. Scientists propose that the strange visual disturbances associated with these seemingly religious visions may align with symptoms of intense migraines, specifically the migraine ‘aura.’ This aura is characterized by visual and auditory hallucinations, commonly featuring bright, flashing lights and zigzag patterns, known as fortification spectra.
The Neurological Link Between Migraines and Visual Hallucinations
Neurologists have drawn parallels between the unusual sights reported during supposed religious experiences and the sensory disturbances of migraine auras. In the most extreme instances, individuals might even undergo an ‘out-of-body experience’ during a migraine aura. While migraine auras may not elucidate every reported divine vision, they offer a compelling explanation for certain historical accounts. The experiences described by some throughout history closely resemble what is now understood as migraine-related sensory phenomena.
Historical Accounts: Hildegard von Bingen and Migraine-Like Visions
Notably, Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th-century German philosopher and composer, depicted her religious awakenings in a manner strikingly similar to modern descriptions of migraine auras. French author Mélanie Schmidt-Ulmann, in her book “Holistic Health Secrets,” referencing von Bingen’s experiences, wrote that the philosopher encountered ‘reflections of living light,’ which von Bingen termed ‘umbra viventis lucis’.
Von Bingen herself documented visions of a “great star, most splendid and beautiful, and with it an exceeding multitude of falling sparks,” followed by a sensation of annihilation and intense head pain. In a time lacking advanced medical understanding, attributing such vivid and alarming experiences to divine intervention was understandable. Even today, these intense episodes can leave individuals questioning their perception of reality.
Understanding Migraine Auras: Cortical Spreading Depression
Migraines are a prevalent condition, affecting approximately 10% of the global population. However, only about a third of migraine sufferers experience the peculiar visual and sensory phenomena associated with migraine auras. The precise neurological processes underlying these experiences remain under investigation, but researchers are increasingly unraveling the mechanisms involved.
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Dr. Philip Holland, a neuroscientist from King’s College London, explained that the visual symptoms, such as flashing lights, are likely caused by “a wave of excitation that travels across the cortex, specifically the visual cortex.” A potential neurological basis for these atypical symptoms is cortical spreading depression, a slow wave of altered brain activity. This phenomenon can induce transient changes in nerve function and blood flow within the brain.
Migraine Aura: A Separate but Related Condition
Current research suggests that migraine and aura, while related, are distinct conditions. Dr. Holland describes them as connected, with the aura’s wave of activity potentially sensitizing nerves on the brain’s surface, which, in some individuals, can trigger headaches. It is crucial to note that migraine auras are not the sole cause of hallucinations. Scientific exploration continues to reveal further insights into the complexities of the brain and its role in various perceptual phenomena, including hallucinations. Ongoing research promises a deeper understanding of these intricate neurological processes.