A controlled analysis of subjective paranormal experiences in temproal lobe dysfunction in a neuropsychiatric population - Abstract

John Palmer (*)

Vernon Neppe (**)

Heidi Nebel (**)

Stacie Magill (**)

ABSTRACT: Previous research by Vernon Neppe and Michael Persinger has provided evidence for an association between subjective paranormal experiences (SPEs) and the temporal lobes of the brain. These results consist of correlations between scores on questionnaires asking participants about personal experiences such as ESP, out-of-body experiences (OBEs), mystical experiences and apparitions, and positive responses to questions about symptoms characteristic of temporal lobe dysfunction (TLD). However, this research has been restricted to "normal participants" whose symptomatology was not of such a degree as to classify them as having temporal lobe disease. The purpose of this project was to see if these results could be replicated with a clinical population. The sample consisted of 100 neuropsychiatric patients of Dr. Neppe. Computerized files were blindly rated by 2 raters, 1 of whom rated for TLD diagnosis and 1 for SPEs. TLD diagnosis was based on 4 criteria: (1) responses to 16 items from Neppe's short INSE T questionnaire that reflect various symptoms characteristic of TLD; (2) etiological predisposing factors including (a) brain insults such as concussions, tumors, and encephalitis; (b) recreational use of certain pleasure drugs; (3) results of waking, sleeping, and ambulatory EECs; and (4) response to prescribed anticonvulsant medications. Scores on these criteria were summed to form a scale with scores potentially ranging from -3 to 11. The patients were also classified separately by their treating physician (Neppe). Sixty patients scoring 6 or above were classified as having TLD, 27 with scores of 4 or less were classified as control, and 13 were dropped (10 for scoring 5, and 3 for disagreements between Neppe and Palmer on final codings). SPE scores were based on 4 item scores from the INSET addressing frequency of ESP experiences, OBEs, and "sense of presence" (apparitions). In both analyses, in support of the hypothesis, the TLD group had a significantly higher mean on the SPE scale than the control grou p (p <. 05, one-tailed). However, when gender was introduced as a covariate in an analysis of variance, the TLD hypothesis was no longer supported. A multiple regression analysis predicting SPEs from the 4 TLD criteria plus gender and using all 100 patients indicated significant, independent contributions to the prediction of SPEs by only gender (p = .004) and INSET (p < .001). Thus the confirmation of the TLD hypothesis is due entirely to the contribution of the INSET component, a result which confirms earlier research by Neppe with a nonclinical population. A second analysis using revised SPE scores reflecting a variety of different kinds of ESP experiences and weighted more heavily by the ESP item gave almost identical results to those with the original SPE scores. The 4 TLD components did not correlate significantly among themselves, suggesting they were not measuring the same thing. Reasons were discussed as to why support of the TLD hypothesis was not stronger, and plans were noted for new exploratory a nalyses to address these possibilities. Nonetheless, the strong relationship in TLD patients of temporal lobe symptomatology with SPEs is a major finding.

(*.) Rhine Research Center

Durham, NC, USA

(**.) Pacific Neuropsychiatric Institute

Seattle, WA, USA

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