Jan Dirk Blom – författare

The book provides the first state-of-the-art overview of Alice in Wonderland syndrome, an enigmatic neurological condition characterised by perceptual distortions (for example, seeing things as being larger or smaller than they actually are; seeing human faces change into animal faces; feeling one’s body growing larger or smaller; experiencing time as slowing down or speeding up; etc.). It describes the clinical presentation of the syndrome, including its huge variety of symptoms and the variability of its natural course. The book starts out with several vivid case vignettes from the author’s clinical practice, and then explains how and why the concept was introduced. In addition, it explains what is currently known about the underlying medical conditions and brain mechanisms, proposes a diagnostic algorithm, and makes recommendations for treatment. Throughout the book, a recurring question is whether or not Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) suffered from the symptoms he describedso aptly in his famous children’s book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Accordingly, the book should appeal to anyone interested in the brain and its disorders, as well as readers interested in the life of Lewis Carroll.

The Dictionary of Hallucinations, second edition, is an alphabetical listing of issues pertaining to hallucinations and other misperceptions. They can be roughly divided into four categories:

1.    Definitions of individual hallucinatory symptoms

2.    Medical conditions and substances associated with the mediation of hallucinations

3.    Historical figures who are known to have experienced hallucinations

4.    Miscellaneous issues

Each of the definitions of individual hallucinatory symptoms includes:

The second edition of A Dictionary of Hallucinations serves as a reference manual for neuroscientists, psychiatrists, psychiatric residents, psychologists, neurologists, historians of psychiatry, general practitioners, and academics dealing professionally with concepts of hallucinations and other sensory deceptions. This new edition provides updated information and references, and includes newly discovered hallucinations, bringing together contributions by other authorities within the field, with all the entries edited by Prof. Blom.

Doody''s Review: The book''s purpose is to provide a collection of terms and related information for a variety of clinical and non-clinical applications, that can serve as a springboard for further inquiry about specific and lesser-known sensory phenomena. Not only does this book meet its objectives, but it fills a void in providing a comprehensive list of technical terms matched to otherwise hard-to-describe human experiences.