From the Research
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome (AiWS) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by temporary distortions in visual perception, where people experience objects or their own body parts as appearing larger, smaller, closer, or farther away than they actually are, as reported in a study published in 2019 1. The syndrome typically affects children and young adults and often occurs before, during, or after migraine headaches or seizures. Episodes usually last minutes to hours and can be triggered by infections (particularly Epstein-Barr virus), stress, fatigue, or certain medications. Some key features of AiWS include:
- Metamorphopsias, which are distortions of visual perception
- Dysmetropsia, which is a distortion of body image
- Alterations in the perception of space and time
- The condition has many different etiologies, including migraine, epilepsy, and infections
- The temporoparietal-occipital carrefour (TPO-C) is a key region for developing many of AiWS symptoms, as reported in a study published in 2016 2 Management of AiWS focuses on treating underlying causes like migraines or seizures with appropriate medications, as there is no specific treatment for the syndrome itself, and most people with this condition do not require medication specifically for the perceptual distortions, as they are temporary and not harmful 3, 4, 5. It is essential to note that while AiWS is generally considered to have a good prognosis with no long-term complications, it can be a symptom of a more severe underlying condition, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, as reported in a study published in 2019 1. Therefore, a thorough diagnostic evaluation is necessary to determine the underlying cause of AiWS and to provide appropriate treatment.