4 min learnNew DelhiJun 20, 2026 05:58 PM IST
Have you ever ever walked right into a room, met somebody, or skilled a state of affairs and felt an amazing sense that you simply’ve lived by the precise second earlier than? That unusual sensation, generally known as déjà vu, has fascinated scientists and philosophers for many years. Just lately, neuroscientist Vidita Vaidya make clear one of many main scientific explanations behind the phenomenon.
Talking on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Vaidya described a concept involving “engrams”—the mind’s bodily reminiscence traces. She defined that once we expertise an occasion, the mind creates a reminiscence of that second by activating particular teams of neurons. Later, if we encounter a brand new state of affairs much like the unique expertise, components of that reminiscence community could reactivate.
In accordance with Vaidya, this partial activation can trick the mind into feeling as if the current situation has happened before, even when it hasn’t.
DISCLAIMER: This text is predicated on info from the general public area and/or the specialists we spoke to. At all times seek the advice of your well being practitioner earlier than beginning any routine.
Is déjà vu actually only a reminiscence glitch?
In accordance with Dr Neha Kapoor, Affiliate Director and Head-Neurology, Asian Hospital, Faridabad, neuroscience largely helps the concept that déjà vu is linked to reminiscence processing relatively than proof that an individual has genuinely skilled the second earlier than.
“The current state of neuroscience is usually in help of déjà vu as a memory-processing phenomenon, not proof that an individual has really skilled the second earlier than,” says Dr Kapoor.
“One main concept is that the mind misidentifies a brand new expertise as one thing that has been skilled earlier than,” she explains. “This may occur when features of the setting resemble fragments of earlier experiences that you don’t consciously bear in mind.” Importantly, she stresses that this doesn’t imply the mind is malfunctioning. “As an alternative, it displays the exceptional complexity of reminiscence techniques which can be continually evaluating new info with huge shops of previous experiences.”
Why do some individuals expertise déjà vu extra typically?
Dr Kapoor notes that age seems to play an necessary position. “Analysis has proven that déjà vu is extra frequent amongst adolescents and younger adults, notably between 15 and 30 years of age,” she says. Apparently, frequent episodes are sometimes reported by wholesome people who’re cognitively energetic, well-educated, journey typically, or regularly find themselves in unfamiliar environments.
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“Frequent déjà vu in in any other case wholesome individuals doesn’t essentially point out an issue,” says Dr Kapoor. “It might merely mirror a mind that’s actively processing and evaluating new experiences with saved recollections.”
When can déjà vu sign a neurological downside?
“Occasional déjà vu is taken into account a standard expertise that happens in most wholesome adults in some unspecified time in the future of their lives,” says Dr Kapoor. Nevertheless, unusually frequent, extended, or intense episodes could generally be related to neurological situations, notably these involving the temporal lobe.
One of many strongest identified hyperlinks is with temporal lobe epilepsy. In some sufferers, a robust feeling of déjà vu can happen as an aura—a warning signal earlier than a seizure. “In these instances, the feeling could also be accompanied by modifications in consciousness, uncommon smells or tastes, confusion, involuntary actions, or transient intervals of unconsciousness,” explains Dr Kapoor.
Warning indicators that ought to immediate a neurological analysis
Dr Kapoor advises in search of medical consideration if déjà vu episodes grow to be unusually frequent or are accompanied by different neurological signs. You must seek the advice of a neurologist in the event you expertise:
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- Elevated frequency of spontaneous déjà vu episodes
- Episodes related to blackouts, confusion, or reminiscence loss
- Uncommon smells, tastes, or visible disturbances throughout episodes
- A household historical past of seizures or epilepsy
- New neurological signs equivalent to complications, weak spot, or modifications in psychological standing
DISCLAIMER: This text is predicated on info from the general public area and/or the specialists we spoke to. At all times seek the advice of your well being practitioner earlier than beginning any routine.
