![]() The first four are the stages of NREM (non rapid eye movement) sleep and the last stage is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The other is a sinusoidal 8-12 Hz pattern (most often 8 or 12 Hz in college students) of about 20-40 microvolts which is called "alpha" activity." (5) In contrast the patterns of brain activity in an individual who is asleep cycle between five different stages. "One is low voltage (about 10-30 microvolts) fast (16-25 Hz or cps cycles per second) activity, often called an "activation" or desynchronized pattern. For example, an electroencephalogram (EEG)-which monitors electrical activity in the brain-of an individual who is awake alternates between two patterns of activity. That is, the patterns of brain functioning associated with being awake are different than the patterns associated with being asleep. ![]() ![]() One method that scientists use to distinguish between the states of sleep and wakefulness is monitoring neurobiological status. Is somnambulism a dissociative disorder? Are fuguers asleep? And if the answer to either of these questions is yes, then what is the difference between being awake and being asleep? Therefore, from the perspective of an outside observer it would appear as though these two conditions, automatisme ambulatoire and somnambulism, look like the same thing. This is evident in their inability to recollect their actions upon "awakening". (4) In other words, although both fuguers and sleepwalkers are able to perform a variety of complex functions, including mobility and verbal communication to some extent, it is still apparent that their "minds" are elsewhere during an episode. Moreover, witnesses to both phenomenon report that fuguers and sleepwalkers both exhibit what is described as a "blank facial expression". ![]() An individual who is sleepwalking appears at first glance to be conscious, however when she awakens she has no recollection of her unconscious wanderings. Tapped on the shoulder, he acted as if he were awaking from a deep sleep, groggy and confused, astonished to find himself where he was, carting umbrellas." (3) This is very similar to the reports given by sleepwalkers and those who observe them in the act. "His brother found him in a nearby town helping a traveling umbrella salesman. In addition, such an individual is unable to recall how she arrived at her destination, or why. (2) However, when a fuguer "comes to" he often behaves as though he has just been awoken from a deep sleep, that is, he appears dazed and disoriented. That is to say, do the phenomenon of hysterical fugue and somnambulism challenge the distinction between being awake and being asleep?Įyewitnesses report that someone in the midst of a dissociative fugue appears to behave normally "apart from inability to recall their past or personal information". The similarities between the two provoke the question of what, if any, the implications of their resemblance might be. This description closely resembles that of another disrupted consciousness type behavior, namely, somnambulism, better known as "sleepwalking". In other words, dissociation "is defined as disruption in the integrated function of consciousness, memory and perception," (1) which is what allows a fuguer to behave normally without the "knowledge" of the conscious self. This separation of the self from the actions of the body characterizes fugue as a dissociative disorder, meaning that it entails the separation of certain mental and physical actions from a conscious awareness of those actions. These individuals, sometimes called "fuguers," are able to travel great distances unaware of their actions, and yet function in such a way that people they encounter never suspect their mental state. Georgia GriffinAutomatisme Ambulatoire, also known as hysterical fugue, dissociative fugue or simply fugue, is a mental disorder wherein the afflicted individual is prone to taking unexpected trips in a state of unconsciousness such that she is unable to recall where she has been, or how she ended up in a particular place. ![]() Search Serendip for Other Papers | Serendip Home Pageĭissociative Fugue and the Conscious/Unconscious Chasm Web links wereĪctive as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. ![]()
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