The Reality of “Demon Face” Syndrome
Forget the idea of “see no evil.” For Victor Sharrah from Tennessee, who suffers from an exceedingly rare condition known as “demon face” syndrome, the world appears filled with malevolent-looking beings. This unusual disorder makes it seem as if everyone has an evil smile, according to a significant study published in “The Lancet.”
“You can’t begin to understand how terrifying it was,” the 59-year-old Clarksville resident shared with NBC News, reflecting on his distorted perception disorder.
Sharrah first recognized something was off in 2020 when he misidentified his roommate as a grotesque stranger in his apartment. Upon stepping outside, he was alarmed to find that everyone appeared distorted.
“My first thought was that I had woken up in a demon world,” he exclaimed, clearly shaken. He noted that despite having perfect vision, the transformations were haunting.
Sharrah suffers from prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), an uncommon condition that alters the visual perception of faces, making them appear demonic, as detailed in the groundbreaking research from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. The symptoms can vary based on the individual—affecting the shape, size, and color of facial features. Episodes of PMO can persist for days, weeks, or even years.
In the study, researchers documented Sharrah’s experiences with this incredibly rare disorder, which has only 75 known cases in medical history. They highlighted that while the patient perceived severe distortions on people’s faces, he had no such distortions when looking at inanimate objects like cars or homes, allowing him to recognize individuals despite their altered appearances.
Interestingly, Sharrah did not experience these unsettling distortions when viewing faces on screens or in photographs. Unlike some mental health issues, such as schizophrenia, his experience lacked delusional beliefs regarding the identities of those around him. Researchers successfully created photorealistic visuals of Sharrah’s PMO distortions, allowing them to gain insights into his unique perception.
To achieve this, they showed him real-time facial images of individuals while he looked at the actual people. He provided immediate feedback on how the real faces differed from what he perceived, enabling scientists to digitally render the distortions he reported.
Researchers aim to increase awareness about PMO, as it is often misdiagnosed as a psychiatric disorder. Professor Duchaine noted that some patients with PMO had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed antipsychotics, missing the visual nature of their condition.
While the exact cause of PMO remains poorly understood, theories suggest it could stem from a malfunction in the brain’s facial processing network. Sharrah’s visual disturbances may have been triggered by a head injury he suffered at age 43 or carbon monoxide poisoning that occurred just four months before his symptoms began, alongside MRI scans revealing a lesion in his brain’s left hemisphere.
Sadly, after three years, Sharrah still faces these visual challenges but has “adjusted” and remains hopeful that the condition may eventually resolve on its own.
