The Mystery of the Brain

Serving as the basis of our existence, the brain is an astonishing tool that makes performing daily tasks, communicating with people, making decisions, and other abilities possible every day. Along with these essential skills, our brain also contributes to many inexplicable phenomena due to the complex interaction of neurological functions. As the concepts surrounding psychology began to arise in the 19th century, so did questions about our states of consciousness. We want to understand why certain experiences and memories in our brains happen and why they are important. Let’s explore some interesting phenomena that the brain can experience.

Déjà vu & Jamais vu

Has there ever been a time when you felt like you were re-living a memory? Like you were walking through a situation that you remember happening? Then you were experiencing a phenomenon known as déjà vu. Meaning “already seen,” this term was first used by the French philosopher Émile Boirac in the 19th century, and was officially recognized in the English language in the 20th century. It’s believed that approximately 97% of the population experiences this feeling at least once during their lifetime. So what exactly causes these flashbacks?

According to a literature review published by Alan Brown in 2004, it was found that déjà vu is most prominently experienced in people ages 15 to 25. This is due to the fact that our frontal lobes are developing rapidly in this period, leading to increased moments of false identification. Additionally, it’s believed by many scientists that déjà vu can also be a sign of a healthy and well-functioning brain that is able to recognize when your sense of familiarity is mistaken. 

In contrast to déjà vu, jamais vu is the sensation that a seemingly familiar experience is starting to feel new and unusual. This can occur even during frequently used skills, such as wondering if you spelled a word correctly that you often use. This occurs in a similar time frame as déjà vu, typically happening the most from ages 15-25.

Synesthesia 

Due to factors that can disturb the normal functions of the brain, neurological conditions are not an unusual occurrence. About 4% of the population experiences a condition called synesthesia, causing the brain to combine different senses, leading a stimulus in one sensory pathway to trigger a stimulus in another pathway. This is most commonly observed in individuals who see colors when hearing music or taste certain words. Individuals who live with this condition do not suffer from any health-related consequences. However, the conflict between these forms of sensory perception can be overwhelming for many and make staying focused very difficult. It’s believed that there is a strong correlation between synesthesia and genetics, often passed down through generations in families.

Dissociative disorders

Due to external factors such as a lack of sleep, drug use, or sensory deprivation, some people experience a phenomenon known as oneirophrenia, originating from the Greek words for “dream” and “mind.” This happens when a person enters a dream-like state of consciousness, where it becomes difficult to determine whether they are in a dream or awake in real life. For some, this state of consciousness lasts only a week or two, while for others it can last over a year, and is considered a form of psychosis. Typically, oneirophrenia occurs during a person’s late adolescence while a person is undergoing significant brain development. Oneirophrenia is a rare condition, although there are not enough statistics at this point in time to determine its commonality in society.

Another condition known as depersonalization-derealization disorder is similar in its causation of detachment from reality, but people in this state understand that they are awake and that this loss of connection is not real, whereas people with oneiphrenia experience forms of hallucinations. DDD causes one to feel a constant disconnection from reality, feeling as if they are viewing their life through a screen. It’s estimated that about 1-2% of the population has or will experience this throughout their lifetime. There is also a strong correlation between DDD and symptoms of depression.

Dreaming

Yes, most people experience dreaming regularly, but what exactly is the cause of it? Dreaming is largely associated with REM, meaning rapid eye movement, which is a period during sleep where brain activity increases. This is the time when your brain is evaluating what happened throughout the day. I believe that my dreams sometimes reflect the things that I feel in my conscious mind. They are often influenced by, and reveal your true feelings about what is going on in your life. There is not yet a confirmation about the true cause of dreaming, but we do know that emotional evaluation and memory processing are some of the major elements.

Classical conditioning

Lastly, I want to share one of my personal experiences with you. The other day I was doing homework on my computer, and I saw someone turn a light off. I instantly started feeling a little tired, and I was wondering what could have caused that feeling. Then I realized, most of the time when I see myself or another person turn a light off, it’s because sleep is involved to some capacity. Turning the light off is typically the last thing that I do before bed, so when I heard the click of the lamp, it signaled to my brain that I would be able to sleep. This phenomenon is one of the most interesting things that happens to our brains and allows us to make connections every day. Classical conditioning refers to an unconscious learning process when a neutral stimulus is associated with a naturally occurring stimulus, which joins together to form one response in the brain. This theory was originally developed by Ivan Pavlov, famously known for his work on the “Pavlov’s dog” theory.