Explanation of Todd Syndrome, Turning Sufferers into Alice in Wonderland

Todd Syndrome or Dymestropsia, also often called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, is a condition that causes sufferers to experience perceptual distortion, namely disruption of the process of identifying information received, making it possible to be mistaken and incorrect. Sufferers may experience Macropsia (seeing objects as larger), Micropsia (seeing as objects becoming smaller), Pelopsia (seeing as appearing closer than they actually are), or Teleopsia (seeing as appearing further away than they actually are). In addition to distortions in visual perception, distortions can occur in other senses.

History of Todd Syndrome or Alice in Wonderland

It is also called Todd Syndrome because it follows a description in 1955 by Doctor John Todd (1914–1987), a British consultant psychiatrist at High Royds Menston Hospital, West Yorkshire. He found that some of his patients suffered from severe headaches, causing them to feel and see objects out of proportion. However, none of them suffered from brain tumours, mental illness or visual abnormalities. All patients can think clearly and distinguish between reality and hallucinations, but their perception is impaired.

Todd Syndrome Symptoms

There are more than sixty symptoms related to Todd or Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, such as affecting a person's sense of hearing, sight, sensation, touch and perception of appearance. Common symptoms of this syndrome are nausea, migraines, dizziness, and agitation (feelings of irritation, restlessness, and nervousness that make a person wring their hands non-stop or pace back and forth). People with Todd or Alice in Wonderland Syndrome experience rare symptoms.

1. Visual/Vision Distortion

Sufferers experience the illusion of reduction, expansion, or distortion in the appearance of their own body as if they feel that their body is shrinking or feel that their body has become taller and bigger. People suffering from certain neurological diseases may experience similar hallucinations.

In 2014, of all clinical cases, approximately 85% of sufferers presented with perceptual distortions in a single sensory modality, for example, only visual or auditory; the majority also only experienced one, Macropsia or Micropsia.

Seeing brighter colours, seeing three-dimensional objects become flat, straight lines look wavy and bent.

2. Hallucinations

Zoopsia is an additional hallucination that is sometimes associated with Todd Syndrome or Alice in Wonderland, which involves hallucinations of small animals such as mice, ants, etc., or large animals such as elephants, dogs, giraffes, and so on. Some people may experience concurrent fever.

3. Depersonalization

Sufferers often experience a feeling of being disconnected from their own body, mind, environment and feelings.

4. Time and Hearing Distortion

These disorders can include magnification or broadening of soft sounds or misinterpretation of common sounds. Including strange tones, noises, music or unclear sounds.

You can also experience a loss of sense of time as if time is moving very quickly, similar to an LSD experience or seeing objects that are actually moving, but when sufferers of Todd Syndrome or Alice in Wonderland see them moving quickly uncontrollably.

Causes of Todd Syndrome or Alice in Wonderland

Because it is still not common, it is difficult to determine what the main cause is. Half of these cases are never discovered. Ebstein-Barr Virus appears to be a common cause in children, and migraines are more common in adult sufferers.

1. Brain hypothesis: This can be caused by an abnormal amount of electrical activity that causes abnormal blood flow in the brain related to visual perception and texture processing.
2. Infectious diseases: 2021 states that there is an association with infectious diseases such as Todd Syndrome or Alice in Wonderland, especially in children. Such as the Epstein-Barr virus, Influenza, Zika, Varicella Zoster Virus, and others.
3. Genetic and environmental influences: a genetic component is possible, but the evidence is still inconclusive. Many parents are found to experience similar symptoms, and their children experience Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. Environmental influences include drug consumption. Further research is still needed on the relationship between this disease, genetics, and the environment.
4. Psychiatric disorders, depression, and schizophrenia are also some of the causes of this disease.

Treatment and Prevention of Todd Syndrome

Until now, there is still no test that can definitively diagnose Todd or Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. Doctors can carry out examinations to determine the presence of diseases with the same symptoms such as MRI, EEG and blood tests.
Generally, this syndrome does not need special treatment because it can improve on its own, but treating conditions that are suspected to cause Todd or Alice in Wonderland Syndrome can prevent symptoms from recurring. Often mostly caused by migraines. Treating it can increase the chance of preventing Alice in Wonderland Syndrome or Todd Syndrome, namely by:

1. Eat balanced portions.
2. Eat lots of healthy and fresh fruit and vegetables.
3. Limit alcohol consumption.
4. Reduce processed foods, instant foods and drinks.
5. Therapy or meditation and relaxation.
6. Be diligent in checking with your doctor for more complete prevention.

Said to be harmless, this syndrome can cause disorientation and also interfere with daily activities. Suppose you feel you are experiencing symptoms similar to those mentioned above. In that case, it is a good idea to immediately consult a neurologist so you can get more appropriate and correct treatment. Also, remember, don't diagnose yourself without being accompanied by an expert.

Image source: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alice_par_John_Tenniel_03.png