Palinopsia

Palinopsia

Palinopsia is an illusory visual phenomenon characterized by the persistence or recurrence of visual images immediately after the stimulus has been removed, hence visual perseveration. This is distinct from the physiological after-image. It may be associated with polyopia. The description of the symptom may lead to it being mistaken for diplopia ("pseudodiplopia").
Palinopsia occurs most frequently in the context of a left homonymous hemianopia, secondary to right occipitotemporal or occipitoparietal lesions: these may be vascular, neoplastic, metabolic, ictal, or drugor toxin-induced (e.g., carbon monoxide poisoning). It has also been described with retinal and optic nerve disease, and occasionally in normal individuals.

References

Michel EN, Troost BT. Palinopsia: cerebral localization with computed tomography. Neurology 1980; 30: 887-889
Pomeranz HD, Lessell S. Palinopsia and polyopia in the absence of drugs or cerebral disease. Neurology 2000; 54: 855-859

Smith PEM, Shah P, Sharpe J, Todd A, Goringe AP. Palinopsia.
Lancet 2003; 361: 1098
Stagno SJ, Gates TJ. Palinopsia: a review of the literature. BehavioralNeurology 1991; 4: 67-74

Cross References

Hemianopia; Illusion; Perseveration; Polyopia