The life-changing effects of hallucinations

The life-changing effects of hallucinations Emmanuel Lafont/BBC Illusions brought on by drugs, lights and disease are giving us new insights into the inner workings of our brains. The fact that flickering lights on closed eyes causes visions of colours, shapes and movement is "one of the oldest findings in neuroscience", says Anil Seth, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Sussex, and the lead scientist on the immersive art-and-science project Dreamachine. The fact that flickering lights on closed eyes causes visions of colours, shapes and movement is one of the oldest findings in neuroscience Created as a tool to capture the diversity of the public's inner minds by using strobing lights to induce hallucinations, the Dreamachine has been touring the UK during 2022. Emmanuel Lafont/BBC Light-induced hallucinations produced by the Dreamachine range from simple geometric patterns to more complex landscapes and shapes Seth says that the frequency of the strobing determines the strength of the hallucination by syncing with the frequency of brainwaves in this region of the brain. "One of the most interesting focus groups was with visually impaired people – not totally retinally blind but people with severe visual issues – it was a really, profoundly moving experience," he says.