HYPNAGOGIC HALLUCINATIONS PRESENTING AS MACROSOMATOGNOSIA AND MICROSOMATOGNOSIA

Macrosomatognosia and microsomatognosia, in which the entire body or p arts of the body are perceived as abnormally large or small, can occur as hypnagogic hallucinations in sane and healthy subjects. A review o f the literature and five original observations are presented. The mou th and the hands are anatomic regions which are frequently affected, p aralleling the dominance of their representation in the sensory maps o f the human brain. The clinical differential diagnosis of the said phe nomena includes narcolepsy, epileptic and migraine aura, drug-induced body scheme disturbances and basic symptoms of functional psychoses.