Rare Disorder Makes People Think They’re Seeing ‘Demonic’ Faces: ‘Like a Creature in a Horror Movie’

• A rare disorder called Prosopometamorphopsia makes people’s faces look “demon-like”, with highly drawn features
• For the first time, scientists have been able to use computer software to illustrate how the disorder distorts people’s faces
• The recently diagnosed patient says he hopes his case will help others with the disorder, who are often misdiagnosed as a mental illness

A rare disorder causes people to think they see ‘demonic’ faces everywhere, with wide eyes and mouths, pointed ears and deep furrows carved into their faces.

Called Prosopometamorphopsia, the disorder was recently diagnosed in a 59-year-old man, according to a study published in the Lancet. The disorder is so rare that according to one report from 2021, only 81 cases were recorded.

“It’s like staring at demons,” patient Victor Sharrah told CNN. “Imagine waking up one morning and suddenly everyone in the world looks like a creature in a horror movie.”

According to the study, “the patient reported that distortions—highly elongated facial features, with deep furrows on the forehead, cheeks, and chin—were present on the face of every person he encountered, but he reported no distortions when viewing objects, such as houses or cars.”

Computer illustrations of what someone with prosopometamorphopsia sees.

Lancet

“The patient said that even though the faces were distorted, he could still recognize who they were,” the study continued.

Sharrah saw the distortions only when she was looking directly at the person – not when looking at a photo or computer screen – so the researchers were able to create photorealistic representations of what those with Prosopometamorphopsia see.

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The study did not reveal the cause of his disorder, but researchers noted that he had an arachnoid cyst in his brain.

An arachnoid cyst is “a noncancerous fluid-filled sac that grows on the brain or spinal cord,” explains the Cleveland Clinic. Although they can cause headaches or seizures, “treatment is not always necessary” unless they cause problems.

“Untreated arachnoid cysts can cause brain damage and movement problems.”

However, although a cyst was noted in the study, it has not been definitively implicated as a cause of prosopometamorphopsia.

A computer illustration of what someone with prosopometamorphopsia sees.

Lancet

“The patient had a history of bipolar affective disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, he had a significant head injury at age 43 that led to hospitalization,” the study states.

“He also had possible carbon monoxide poisoning at age 55, which occurred 4 months before the onset of his distortion symptoms.”

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But while the cause has not been determined, Sharrah told CNN that he hopes his diagnosis will help other people with the disorder.

“They almost put me in a mental hospital,” he told the newspaper. “How many other people are institutionalized and treated with antipsychotics even though they are not psychotic?”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education