Reality Perception Spectrum Syndromes (Imagination, Dissociation, Conversion, Somatoform, Misattribution Somatization, Psychosis)

Abstract

Imagination is a reassembly of perceptual memory, memes, within the brain. Reality is a complex memeplex consisting of sets of memes or percepts that have been accepted by the selfplex as “real.” Existing perceptual memes replicate and gain force when attention is paid to them and reassembled as imagination. Normal persons can differentiate between imagination and reality in spite of similar activation of brain areas, but in the dreaming state, normal persons actually experience hallucinations and delusions as reality. Imagination and dreaming are necessary for problem solving and creativity. Being unable to distinguish between imagination, dreaming, and reality and being unable to return to reality result in distress and thus mental illness. This inability may arise from either reduction in the evaluative aspect of meme processing, attenuation of reality perception, or excessive attention to the internal processing of memes. Dissociation and the associated phenomena of depersonalization and derealization are not uncommonly experienced in normal persons when absorbed in a task or under stress. Dissociation may be hardwired as an adaptive mechanism. Under circumstances that increase suggestibility, and in susceptible individuals, misattribution of distress to parts of the body rather than to a memetic stress may occur as in conversion and somatization syndromes, as well as misattribution of percepts from within the brain (imagination) to outside of the brain (hallucination). Dissociative identity disorder results when there is a disturbance in the formation of a coherent set of mutually recognized selfplexes. Distress misattribution processes that occur in conversion, somatization, hypochondriasis, psychogenic pain, etc., may be facilitated in certain individuals through epigenetic factors, early memetic infection from another person who somatizes or is in the sick role, or both, and current stress memes. Psychosis is an alternative mode of experiencing reality, often occasioned by an inability to distinguish fantasy and dreaming from reality. Schizophrenia is conceptualized as a neurodevelopmental disorder resulting in a reduction in cortical volume and dysfunctions in glutamatergic, GABA-ergic, and dopaminergic transmission. Certain individuals with problems in the normal development of the brain functions involved in meme processing may be susceptible to difficulty in distinguishing between internal and external sources of meme presentation, such that internal memes are perceived as external perception (hallucinations). Delusions may occur when the meme-processing ability is impaired such that irrational memes are reinforced and become convictions, beyond the control of the meme filter for unreasonable memes. The meme pool of the environment may then determine the presentation of the psychosis. Treatment of major syndromes in this category is discussed.