title: Neuropsychological profiles of adults who report "sudden remembering" of early childhood memories: implications for claims of sex abuse and alien visitation/abduction experiences.
abstract: Six adults, who had recently experienced sudden recall of preschool memories of sex abuse or alien abduction/visitation, were given complete neuropsychological assessments. All experiences "emerged" when hypnosis was utilized within a context of sex abuse or New Age religion and were followed by reduction in anxiety. As a group, these subjects displayed significant (T greater than 70) elevations of childhood imaginings, complex partial epileptic-like signs, and suggestibility. Neuropsychological data indicated right frontotemporal anomalies and reduced access to the right parietal lobe. MMPI profiles were normal. The results support the hypothesis that enhanced imagery due to temporal lobe lability within specific contexts can facilitate the creation of memories; they are strengthened further if there is also reduction in anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Persinger
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D011939:Mental Recall; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012094:Repression, Psychology