Palinacousis

Palinacousis
Synonyms	Auditory perseveration
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Auditory hallucinations, echoing sounds
Complications	N/A
Onset	Sudden or gradual
Duration	Variable
Types	N/A
Causes	Temporal lobe epilepsy, brain lesions, head trauma
Risks	Seizure disorders, brain injury
Diagnosis	Clinical diagnosis, EEG, MRI
Differential diagnosis	Auditory hallucination, tinnitus, musical ear syndrome
Prevention	N/A
Treatment	Antiepileptic drugs, surgery
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	Depends on underlying cause
Frequency	Rare
Deaths	N/A

Palinacousis is a rare auditory hallucination condition where an individual continues to hear a sound, word, or phrase after the original source of the sound has ceased. The term is derived from the Greek words "palin" meaning again and "acousis" meaning hearing. Palinacousis was first described by neurologist J.M.S. Pearce in 1983.

Causes

Palinacousis is often associated with lesions in the temporal lobe of the brain, particularly the superior temporal gyrus, which is involved in auditory processing. Other potential causes include epilepsy, brain tumor, stroke, and migraine.

Symptoms

The primary symptom of palinacousis is the persistent echo of sounds after the original sound has stopped. These echoes can last from seconds to minutes, and in rare cases, hours. The echoed sounds are usually words or phrases, but can also be non-speech sounds.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of palinacousis is primarily based on the patient's description of their symptoms. Neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and CT scan may be used to identify any lesions in the brain that could be causing the symptoms.

Treatment

Treatment for palinacousis typically involves addressing the underlying cause of the condition. This may involve medication to control seizures in the case of epilepsy, or surgery to remove a brain tumor.

See also

• Auditory hallucination
• Temporal lobe epilepsy
• Auditory processing disorder