Facial Distortions and Prosopometamorphopsia | Brad Duchaine (Rebroadcast)
From Brain in a Vat by Brain in a Vat
November 9, 2025 · 1h 1m
About this episode
Brad Duchaine discusses prosopometamorphopsia and its impact on social interactions.
In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, Brad Duchaine from the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department at Dartmouth discusses prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) – a condition where individuals see distorted faces. The episode explores various manifestations of PMO, including seeing demonic features, dragons, or entirely different faces, and distinguishes it from prosopagnosia (face blindness). It delves into the neurological basis of PMO, touching upon structural and functional differences in the brains of those affected. We discuss the significant impact PMO and prosopagnosia have on individuals' social interactions and quality of life, as well as potential management techniques such as using glasses or colored lights to reduce distortions. Chapters: [00:00] Introduction and Guest Presentation [00:20] Exploring the Case of Face Distortion [03:19] Understanding the Nature of Distortions [05:49] Comparing Prosopagnosia and PMO [07:17] The Role of Visual System in Face Recognition [10:01] Impact of Face Recognition on Social Interactions [14:16] The Spectrum of Face Recognition Abilities [16:20] The Role of AI and Hallucinations in Face Recognition [23:48] Understanding the…
People in this episode
Host: Brain in a Vat
Guest: Brad Duchaine
Topics covered
- prosopometamorphopsia
- face distortion
- prosopagnosia
- neurological basis
- social interactions
- management techniques
Keywords
- prosopometamorphopsia
- face distortion
- prosopagnosia
- neurological differences
- social interactions
- management techniques
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Psychological and Brain Sciences Department
Places: Dartmouth
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