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Understanding Déjà Vu: Causes and Sensations Explained

School
Christiana High School**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
MATH 121
Subject
Communications
Date
Dec 12, 2024
Pages
15
Uploaded by JusticeCrocodilePerson1114
Locations:Abu Dhabi|Canada|Florida|London|Nevada|OhioOctober 24, 2022/Health Conditions/Brain & Nervous SystemDéjà Vu: What It Is and WhyIt HappensDéjà vu makes you feel like you’ve lived this moment before, even thoughthat’s impossible — and it may have a neurological causeWhat can we help you ±nd?Search9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern1/15
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When pop icon Olivia Rodrigo sang, “Do you get déjà vu?” she was directingthe lyric at her ex-boyfriend and his new lookalike girlfriend. While you maynot be able to relate to her past paramour’s penchant for identical loveinterests, this particular line is pretty darn relatable.Advertisement9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern2/15
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-pro±t academic medicalcenter. Advertising on our site helps support ourmission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinicproducts or services. PolicyAn estimated 97% of people have experienced déjà vu at least once in theirlives. This condition, which translates in French to “already seen,” is atransitory sensation of having already lived a totally identical situation atsome point in the past.But why does it happen? And is there a medical explanation for it?Neurologist Jean Khoury, MD, delves deeper into this ²eeting phenomenonand what it could mean for your health.What is déjà vu?You probably know the feeling: You’re in the midst of a conversation or anactivity when, all of a sudden, you’re overwhelmed by the sensation thatyou’ve done this exact same thing before — but you know that’s notpossible.“Déjà vu is a false sense of familiarity,” Dr. Khoury says. “Your brain createsa sensation as if you have lived a certain situation before, but you’re unableto retrieve it from your memory and cannot identify the actual situation.”What does déjà vu feel like?In 1983, Dr. Vernon Neppe de±ned déjà vu as a “subjectively inappropriateimpression of familiarity of a present experience with an unde±ned past.” In9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern3/15
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simple terms, that means that when you have déjà vu, you feel like you’reexperiencing something that you almost certainly couldn’t have.“There’s usually an incongruence between the sense of familiarity and thefact that the situation should not feel familiar,” Dr. Khoury explains.AdvertisementIt’s not like taking the same bus route each day and recognizing the scenery— that’s familiarity. Déjà vu, on the other hand, is when you feel like you’vehad this exact same conversation or experienced this very speci±cscenario in the past, all while also knowing that it can’t have ever happenedbefore.What causes déjà vu to happen?You may not be a magician, but when you experience déjà vu, your brain iscreating an illusion. This is thought to happen when there’s a bit of amiscommunication between two parts of your brain.9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern4/15
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“Déjà vu is caused by dysfunctional connections between the parts of yourbrain that play a role in memory recollection and familiarity,” Dr. Khouryfurther explains.You have two temporal lobes, one on each side of your head — right aboveyour temples. They play an important role in helping you to:Recall words.Remember places you’ve been.Recognize people.Understand language.Interpret other people’s emotions.In each temporal lobe is a hippocampus, which contributes to many ofthese functions and is responsible for storing your short-term memories.Occasionally, like during certain types of seizures, your hippocampus andsurrounding brain tissue can be activated, causing you to have memoryexperiences like déjà vu.“This causes a disruption of recognition memory systems, which gives youthat false sense of familiarity,” Dr. Khoury says.Is déjà vu normal?It’s not uncommon or inherently unhealthy to experience déjà vu every nowand then. It’s most likely to happen to people who are 15 to 25 years old,and your likelihood of experiencing it decreases progressively as you age. Italso happens more frequently during evenings and on weekends thanduring weekdays.9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern5/15
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There are some other things we know about déjà vu, though researchersaren’t exactly sure why. For example, you’re more susceptible to déjà vu ifyou:Have a high level of education.Travel a lot.Remember your dreams.Hold liberal beliefs.“Déjà vu is a rare phenomenon in healthy individuals, usually occurring acouple times a year,” Dr. Khoury says. “If it becomes more frequent or isassociated with other symptoms, though, it’s important to have itaddressed.”Is déjà vu a seizure?Experiencing déjà vu doesn’t mean you’re having a seizure. But in somecases, it can be a symptom of temporal lobe epilepsy, a seizure disorderthat starts in the temporal lobe area of your brain.“The hippocampus plays a role in recall and conscious recollection; theparahippocampal gyrus, which is also in the temporal lobe, plays a role infamiliarity discrimination. When you have epilepsy, there’s usually adisruption of this connection,” Dr. Khoury explains.Advertisement9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern6/15
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Temporal lobe epilepsy may be accompanied by tonic-clonic seizures,which cause uncontrollable convulsions and other muscle movements.Déjà vu associated with this type of epilepsy is also often associated with aloss of awareness, shaking, tongue-biting, urine loss and post-seizureconfusion.Is it ever cause for concern?Déjà vu may be a sign of underlying health concerns.“Stress and exhaustion can contribute to déjà vu,” Dr. Khoury notes. “But itcan also be a sign of seizure disorders, migraines and disorders affectingthe memory.” People who have frontotemporal dementia, for example, oftenexperience persistent déjà vu and tend to try to rationalize the illusion.Your feelings of déjà vu may be representative of a health issue if they’reaccompanied by other symptoms, like:Confusion.Headaches.Loss of awareness.Weakness.9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern7/15
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Seizures.Shaking.When déjà vu signals a problemThat occasional “I’ve been here before” experience probably isn’t anythingto worry about. But if you start experiencing déjà vu more often than that,it’s time to see a doctor. Make an appointment with a healthcare provider ifyour déjà vu:Occurs a few times a month or more often (versus just a few times ayear).Is followed by loss of consciousness.Is accompanied by abnormal, dream-like memories or visual scenes.Comes with symptoms like unconscious chewing, fumbling, a racingheart or a feeling of fear.Advertisement9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern8/15
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Don’t let persistent or worrisome déjà vu linger. If you have any doubt aboutthe cause of your déjà vu, it’s important to consult with a healthcareprovider or go straight to a neurologist.AdvertisementLearn more about our editorial process.Related Articles9/19/24, 10:14 AMDéjà Vu: What It Is and Why It Happenshttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern9/15
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