A rare condition known as prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) has recently gained attention due to a new case study that sheds light on the disorder. PMO causes individuals to perceive faces as distorted, sometimes even appearing demonic. This condition is distinct from prosopagnosia, which is characterized by poor face recognition without visual distortions.
The recent study focused on a 58-year-old man, referred to as VS, who experienced a unique manifestation of PMO. Unlike typical cases, VS perceived images of faces without distortion. However, when encountering people in person, he perceived their faces as stretched and demonic for the past 31 months.
PMO is exceptionally rare, with individuals perceiving faces as drooping, stretched, mispositioned, or abnormally sized. These distortions can affect the entire face, specific features, or just one side.
Understanding the Causes
Unlike prosopagnosia, which can be either acquired or developmental, PMO appears to be solely acquired. A 2021 study from the Netherlands examined 81 cases of PMO, attributing the condition to causes such as brain infarction and hemorrhagic stroke.
The study’s findings provide valuable insights into PMO, offering a deeper understanding of this rare condition and its impact on individuals’ perception of faces.
