This chapter explores the mechanism behind visual hallucinations in blind individuals, similar to phantom limb syndrome. It discusses the deafferentation hypothesis, which suggests that loss of nerve signal input leads to physical and biochemical changes in cells, increasing spontaneous firing and causing hallucinations. The nature of hallucinations in Charles Bonnet's syndrome is also discussed, including the impact of deafferentation in different areas of the visual cortex.
Charles Bonnet Syndrome is sometimes called the ‘plaything of the brain’ for the blind and visually impaired. The syndrome isn’t associated with mental illness or dementia, yet people with it are able to ‘see’ things — like little wriggling children in pink and white pyjamas, or a goat riding on a bike through their lounge room.