Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hallucination
A hallucination is a sensory perception experienced in the absence of an external stimulus, as distinct from an illusion, which is a misperception of an external stimulus. Hallucinations may occur in any sensory modality - visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, or proprioceptive (sense of balance and position in space). Psychological research has presented the idea that hallucinations may result from biases in what are known as metacognitive abilities. These are abilities that allow us to monitor or draw inferences from our own internal psychological states (such as intentions, memories, beliefs and thoughts). The ability to discriminate between self-generated and external sources of information is considered to be an important metacognitive skill and one which may break down to cause hallucinatory experiences.
Related Stories
1
2
Mind & Brain News
April 8, 2026
Apr. 7, 2026 Researchers have developed a cutting-edge technique that uses RNA “barcodes” to map how neurons connect, capturing thousands of links with single-synapse precision. The method transforms brain ...
Apr. 7, 2026 Vitamin D levels in midlife may play a bigger role in long-term brain health than previously thought. In a study following nearly 800 people over 16 years, those with higher vitamin D levels in their 30s and 40s had lower levels of tau protein later ...
Apr. 7, 2026 Scientists at Oregon State University have captured something researchers have long struggled to see: the real-time chemical interactions that help drive Alzheimer’s disease. By watching how metal ions—especially copper—trigger harmful protein ...
Apr. 7, 2026 Scientists have finally uncovered the missing link in how our bodies absorb queuosine, a rare micronutrient crucial for brain health, memory, stress response, and cancer defense. For decades, ...
Apr. 7, 2026 A single week of intensive meditation and mind-body practices led to measurable changes across the brain and body. Researchers observed improved brain efficiency, boosted immune signaling, and increased natural pain relief chemicals in ...
Apr. 6, 2026 Your brain’s “stop eating” signal may come from an unexpected source. Researchers found that astrocytes—once thought to just support neurons—actually play a key role in controlling appetite. After a meal, glucose triggers tanycytes, which ...
Apr. 5, 2026 Scientists in Canada have uncovered a surprising weakness in glioblastoma, one of the deadliest brain cancers. They found that certain brain cells—once believed to only support healthy nerves—can actually help tumors grow by sending signals that ...
Apr. 5, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a powerful new clue in the mystery of brain aging: a single protein called FTL1. In aging mice, higher levels of this protein weakened connections between brain cells and led to memory decline. But when researchers reduced ...
Apr. 3, 2026 A newly identified gene mutation may help explain why schizophrenia patients struggle to update their understanding of reality. The mutation disrupts a brain circuit involved in flexible ...
Apr. 2, 2026 Fast fashion might come with a hidden danger: lead. Researchers testing children’s shirts from multiple retailers found every sample exceeded U.S. safety limits, raising concerns about toxic exposure—especially since young kids often chew on ...
Apr. 2, 2026 A surprising new study suggests that genetics may change how diet affects brain health—especially when it comes to Alzheimer’s risk. Researchers found that older adults carrying high-risk APOE gene variants didn’t show the expected cognitive ...
Apr. 1, 2026 Millions of people start work before sunrise—but their brains aren’t ready for it. A new clinical trial has found that the wake-promoting drug solriamfetol can significantly boost alertness in early-morning shift workers struggling with shift ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
Apr. 6, 2026 Is consciousness something the brain produces, or is it woven into the fabric of reality itself? Renowned neuroscientist Christof Koch is challenging long-held scientific assumptions by confronting ...
Apr. 4, 2026 Astrocytes, once thought to be mere brain “support cells,” are now revealed to be key players in fear memory. Researchers found they actively help form, recall, and weaken fear responses by ...
Apr. 1, 2026 Drinking coffee at night might come with an unexpected downside: increased impulsivity. In a new study, fruit flies given caffeine after dark behaved more recklessly, ignoring signals that normally ...
Mar. 30, 2026 Deep sleep does far more than rest the body — it activates a powerful brain-driven system that controls growth hormone, fueling muscle and bone ...
Mar. 30, 2026 Just a few minutes of getting out of breath each day could dramatically cut your risk of major diseases—including heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. A large study of nearly 100,000 people found ...
Mar. 29, 2026 After a stroke, the brain may do something surprisingly hopeful—it can “refresh” parts of itself. Researchers analyzing brain scans from over 500 stroke survivors found that while the damaged ...
Mar. 29, 2026 What teens eat might matter more for their mental health than previously thought. A sweeping review of nearly 20 studies found that healthier diets are often linked to fewer depressive symptoms, ...
Mar. 28, 2026 Scientists have developed a new gene therapy that quiets pain at its source in the brain—without the addictive risks of opioids. Using AI to map how pain is processed, they created a targeted ...
Mar. 28, 2026 Scientists have uncovered how your body actually tells your brain to stop eating when you’re sick. In a new study, researchers found that ...
Mar. 26, 2026 Researchers have identified a crucial ion channel, TMEM175, that acts like an overflow valve in the cell’s recycling system. It regulates acidity ...