Déjà Vu…

Deja vu, its a Francophone phrase we have all heard of and use almost ambiguously. It would seem that people throw this phrase around like some sort of pseudo Ron Burgundy “when in Rome” scenario. In other words, we use it so often and seem to have dropped its meaning altogether. In essence, deja vu is considered a situation in which an individual is almost certain that he or she has experienced the exact scenario before. Not only are these individuals certain that they have experienced this situation before, but they would be willing to bet money that they have. Scientists have always debated the actual cause of such a phenomenon. The scientific community has already determined that it is not intrinsically tethered to any sort of mental illness. In fact, most mentally healthy individuals have reported experiencing such a phenomenon multiple times.

There are many theories to explain deja vu, but the vast majority fall into two distinct categories: Memory based or dream based. Memory based theories seem to be the more prevalent of hypotheses. They indicate that similarities in past events experienced by the subject tend to cause false firing of nerves that give the sensation of already having experiencing the event. Today, some scientists have been able to replicate deja vu type experiences. For instance, virtual reality technology has allowed scientists to insert subjects into completely different worlds. Using this capability, researchers have exposed subjects to two different, though very slightly similar, environments and completely immersing them in both. Subjects did not consciously note the differences in the scenes they were put in. However, most experienced a strong deja vu type sensation. This data gives strong support to the memory based theories on how deja vu works.

The second, more far fetched, theory of deja vu is dream based. There is a significant movement that presents the case that we experience deja vu based off of similar situations in dreams. This theory is very similar to the prior in that they both suggest that the person did actually experience something similar. But, they differ in their source of experience. The reason I believe dream based deja vu to be less likely is that cognitive function while we sleep is largely a branch of science almost completely unexplored. Therefore it would be illogical to make such broad assumptions based off of science we do not yet understand. I am not saying that this theory should be dismissed altogether as dismissing any possibility is in contrast to the scientific method. I do , however, suggest that we push forward investigations into this sort of final frontier of human physiology. Not understanding deja vu should definitely not stimie our progress in a fit of frustration, rather it should inspire those who desire progress to delve deeper into the human brain. I should not get myself started on the brain, I could rant for hours on how it literally blows my mind (Pun intended). So next time you are certain that you’ve experienced something before, just remember that you’re not the only one who doesn’t know whats going on.

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