It sounds like the stuff of horror films — but for people who are afflicted with a rare disorder, it’s a terrifying reality.

A condition called prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) causes facial features to appear distorted, according to researchers from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

A study published in The Lancet revealed that a 58-year-old man reported seeing faces as distorted or “demonic” for 2½ years.

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“The patient stated that the distortions — severely stretched features of the face, with deep grooves on the forehead, cheeks and chin — were present on every person’s face he encountered, but he reported no distortions when looking at objects, such as houses or cars,” the researchers wrote in the findings.

The patient did not see those same distortions when looking at two-dimensional faces on printed paper or digital screens.

Still, despite the distortions, the patient reported that he was able to recognize people.

After the researchers showed the man some images on a screen of a person, they then had him compare the images with that same person’s actual face. 

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The patient provided feedback on the differences he perceived between the two — and the researchers used computer software to edit the photograph to capture what he was seeing.

“Through the process, we were able to visualize the patient’s real-time perception of the face distortions,” said Antonio Mello, a PhD student in psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth who worked on the study, in a press release.

“This suggests that the brain’s way of visually ‘displaying’ faces, and the brain’s ability to recognize a person’s face, might be occurring in two different parts of the brain,” said a neurologist about the study’s findings. (iStock)

Dr. Jonathan Tiu, a neurologist and assistant professor of neurology at Hackensack Meridian School of medicine in New Jersey, was not involved in the study but reviewed the findings.

“Fascinatingly, the patient highlighted in the recent Lancet case report was still able to recognize everyone he was looking at,” Tiu told Fox News Digital.

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“This suggests that the brain’s way of visually ‘displaying’ faces, and the brain’s ability to recognize a person’s face, might be occurring in two different parts of the brain.”

What to know about PMO

The name of the disorder, prosopometamorphopsia, comes from “prosopo” (the Greek word for face, prosopon) and “metamorphopsia,” which refers to perceptual distortions.

Tiu described PMO as a “very rare visual disorder” that causes a person to see visual distortions of facial features.

Experts don’t fully understand how PMO occurs and who is more likely to experience it.

“This can include a twisting or stretching of someone’s eyes or a visual ballooning of that person’s chin, or they might even see features where they shouldn’t be, like seeing that person’s teeth hover over their lips,” he said.

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Experts don’t fully understand how PMO occurs and who is more likely to experience it.

“It is thought that an injury to specific parts of facial processing networks in the brain, whether it be from a stroke or tumor, can produce the symptoms of PMO,” Tiu said.

Among those who are diagnosed with PMO, it is common for them to have been misdiagnosed at some point, researchers said in the study findings. (iStock)

The condition has also been known to occur as an effect of migraines or seizures, but sometimes it comes on without any identifiable cause.

PMO is very rare, with fewer than 100 documented cases, according to the neurologist.

There are different types of PMO, as noted in a separate article published by senior author Brad Duchaine, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth.

“It’s a problem that people often don’t understand.”

The two most common types are full-face prosopometamorphopsia (full-face PMO) and hemi-prosopometamorphopsia (hemi-PMO), he noted.

Most cases last only a few days or weeks.

Some patients, however, continue seeing the distortions for years.

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Among the people who have had PMO, it is common for them to have been misdiagnosed at some point, the researchers stated in the study findings.

“We’ve heard from multiple people with PMO that they have been diagnosed by psychiatrists as having schizophrenia and put on anti-psychotics, when their condition is a problem with the visual system,” Duchaine said in the release.

In one study from 2021 that reviewed 81 individuals with PMO, the authors found that there was full or virtually full recovery in more than half of the reported cases.  (iStock)

“And it’s not uncommon for people who have PMO to not tell others about their problem with face perception because they fear others will think the distortions are a sign of a psychiatric disorder,” he added.

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For those who have the condition, the optimal treatment should be tailored to the underlying cause of the symptom, Tiu noted.

In one study from 2021 that reviewed 81 individuals with PMO, the authors found that there was full or virtually full recovery in more than half of the reported cases, he pointed out.

“Of those who recovered, the PMO resolved quickly within days to weeks,” Tiu said. 

The facial processing networks that involve PMO may be in a part of the brain that has generally good potential for recovery.

“However, some patients took years to recover, and in a group of patients, the symptoms did not demonstrate any improvement.”

The study authors concluded that the facial processing networks that involve PMO may be in a part of the brain that has generally good potential for recovery, Tiu added.

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The Dartmouth researchers expressed hope that this latest study will help raise awareness of the rare but impactful condition.

As Duchaine added, “It’s a problem that people often don’t understand.”

Fox News Digital contacted the researchers for additional comment.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

Cold therapy has been a popular health trend in recent years, but a new review suggests it might not live up to the hype — although others disagree. 

Medical researchers from the University of Warwick in the U.K. conducted a review of nine different studies of the Wim Hof Method (WHM), a health and wellness discipline that combines cold therapy, breathing and meditation.

Although the method was found to reduce inflammation, the researchers concluded that the “quality of the studies [done on the method] is very low” and that “all the results must be interpreted with caution.”

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They also noted that the studies had small sample sizes, so they can’t be applied to the general population.

The results were published in the journal PLOS ONE on March 13.

What is the Wim Hof Method?

The Wim Hof Method is based on the philosophy and practices of Dutch athlete Wim Hof. 

The method has three pillars: cold plunging, breathing and mindset.

Previous research has shown that the method can have multiple mental and physical health benefits.

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Nicknamed “the Iceman,” Hof himself previously told Fox News Digital in an interview that a chief benefit of his method is reducing inflammation — which is a leading cause of most ailments and autoimmune diseases.

“I’m bringing my knowledge from nature through science to global health care, showing that through science — no speculation — we are able to do so much more within our physiology,” he said. 

The Wim Hof Method is based on the philosophy and practices of Dutch athlete Wim Hof. Fox News Digital spoke to Hof in an on-camera interview on March 27, 2023. (Angelica Stabile/Fox News Digital)

In addition to reducing inflammation, Hof also credited cold therapy with improving his mental health during a difficult time in his life.

With cold water plunging, “you open up to peace inside — and that inaugurates the healing,” he said. 

“I began to have control over my emotions,” he also said.

Findings flag limitations of studies

“The key takeaways from the review indicate [the] promising use of WHM in the inflammatory response category,” Omar Almahayni, the study’s lead researcher at Warwick Medical School, told Fox News Digital.

“However, it’s crucial to note that all studies included exhibit a high concern for risk bias, indicating the early stages of investigation into the Wim Hof Method.”

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“While some positive effects are observed, such as attenuation of inflammation, the overall benefits remain uncertain.”

The researchers uncovered many limitations of the studies they reviewed, Almahayni said.

“All the trials had a very high risk of bias due to the lack of a prior published protocol, small sample size and complexity of blinding the participants and outcome assessors to the intervention,” he said.

The Wim Hof Method of cold water plunging was shown to reduce inflammation in the reviewed studies. (iStock)

Psychological outcomes were also difficult to measure, the researcher noted, as they relied on subjective input in response to a questionnaire. 

“Since the participants were not blinded, it was very difficult to ensure that the answers were honest and valid to the experience,” said Almahayni.

Fox News Digital reached out to Wim Hof’s team for comment on the review. 

Experts defend cold therapy

Mark Palchak, CEO of Silient, a South Carolina-based chilled water company, was not involved in the systematic review, but noted that the findings show the clear anti-inflammatory properties of cold therapy.  

“The simple fact that inflammation-related diseases kill 3/5 of people worldwide, combined with the anti-inflammatory results from this study, suggests that the cold therapy discipline works,” Palchak told Fox News Digital.

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Cold therapy can also be beneficial for athletes, he said, helping to reduce inflammation in the joints and cartilage and aiding in post-workout recovery.  

“One of the main benefits from cold therapy our customers experience that wasn’t mentioned in the study is related to the ability to get hard things done throughout the day,” Palchak added.  

Cold therapy can be beneficial for athletes — helping to reduce inflammation in the joints and cartilage and aiding in post-workout recovery.   (iStock)

“When you force yourself into ice-cold water first thing in the morning, everything else you do throughout the day becomes materially easier. Doing hard things leads to great things.”

Dr. Peter Michael, director of regenerative orthopedics and spine at Miami Wellness, a pain relief center in Miami, Florida, previously spoke with Fox News Digital about the benefits of ice baths.

“It’s crucial for individuals to remain cautious and informed about the current state of research on the Wim Hof Method.”

Ice baths are effective at reducing inflammation in the body by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the affected area, noted Michael, who was not involved in the new U.K. study.

“Ice baths can help speed up muscle recovery by reducing soreness and fatigue after exercise,” he said.

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Cold plunges can also help increase the production of white blood cells, which are responsible for fighting off infections and diseases, the doctor added. 

Some experts also believe that ice baths can have a calming effect on the body, reducing stress and anxiety levels and triggering the release of endorphins in the brain.

More research needed, researchers say

Based on the review findings, lead researcher Almahayni called for more evidence to be gathered about the Wim Hof Method — including a larger number of participants — before it’s recommended to the public. 

Ice baths and other forms of cold therapy aren’t for everyone — and are not considered a cure-all for medical conditions, experts agree. (iStock)

“It’s crucial for individuals to remain cautious and informed about the current state of research on WHM,” he said. 

“While there are promising indications of its benefits, more evidence is needed before making conclusive recommendations.”

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Ice baths and other forms of cold therapy aren’t for everyone and are not considered a cure-all for medical conditions, experts agree.

People considering this method should check with a health care provider before taking the plunge.

Angelica Stabile of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.

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Time-restricted eating, a common weight-loss strategy often known as intermittent fasting, has been linked to a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular death.

In a study published by the American Heart Association (AHA), a group of 20,000 adults who followed an eight-hour time-restricted eating schedule were found to have a 91% higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who spread out their meals across 12 to 16 hours.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention│Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Scientific Sessions last week in Chicago, although the study has not yet been peer-reviewed.

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Here are more details. 

What is time-restricted eating?

There are several types of intermittent fasting — but they all follow the same concept of alternating between fasting and eating. 

With a time-restricted approach, the dieter only eats during a certain window. 

For example, with the 16/8 method, the person fasts for 16 hours and then can eat within an eight-hour span, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. 

Other versions involve fasting for a full 24 hours once or twice per week — or only consuming limited calories on fasting days.

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Previous studies have found that time-restricted eating can improve key measures related to heart health, including blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels, the AHA noted in a press release.

“Restricting daily eating time to a short period, such as eight hours per day, has gained popularity in recent years as a way to lose weight and improve heart health,” said senior study author Victor Wenze Zhong, PhD, a professor and chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China, in the release. 

“However, the long-term health effects of time-restricted eating, including the risk of death from any cause or cardiovascular disease, are unknown.”

What are the study details?

Researchers from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China, analyzed information from the annual 2003-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES).

They compared it to causes of death logged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 2003 and December 2019.

In a new study published by the American Heart Association (AHA), a group of 20,000 adults who followed an eight-hour time-restricted eating schedule were found to have a 91% higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who spread out their meals across 12 to 16 hours. (iStock)

People who ate all daily food in a window of less than eight hours had the highest (91%) risk of cardiovascular death, followed by those who ate in a window of between eight and 10 hours (a 66% risk).

The higher risk of heart-related deaths was also seen in those who had existing heart disease or cancer, the release stated.

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“Even though this type of diet has been popular due to its potential short-term benefits, our research clearly shows that, compared with a typical eating time range of 12 to 16 hours per day, a shorter eating duration was not associated with living longer,” Zhong said in the release.

Researchers followed the participants for an average of eight years, with some followed for as long as 17 years.

The average age of the participants was 49. 

Researchers followed them for an average of eight years, with some followed for as long as 17 years.

What are the study’s limitations?

Dr. Lou Vadlamani — a cardiologist and founder of VitalSolution, an Ohio-based company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals nationwide — was not involved in the study but offered his insights on the findings.

“As with all studies, the devil is in the details,” he said. “While this study provides some fuel for discussion and encourages further studies, it is far from conclusive.”

The fasting habits were based on just two days of recorded eating habits, Vadlamani noted — and it hinged on the recollections of the participants.

“There was no documentation of what the participants ate while they weren’t fasting or what their activity levels were.” Also, the timing of the fasting — whether it was done during the daytime or nighttime — was not clear. (iStock)

“There was no documentation of what the participants ate while they weren’t fasting or what their activity levels were,” he noted.

The timing of the fasting — whether it was daytime or nighttime — was also not clear.

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“To conclusively say with any confidence that fasting has a direct impact in rates of heart attack would be a stretch,” the cardiologist said.

“It certainly raises a lot of questions and supports the need for a more comprehensive study, since intermittent fasting has become so common.”

Registered dietitian Lauren Harris-Pincus, author of “The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook,” cautioned that this research has not yet been fully published and peer-reviewed — which means a complete analysis of its findings is “premature.”

“There seems to be an important change between the short-term benefits of the time-restricted diet and the long-term risks.”

She was also not involved in the study.

“While this may suggest a correlation between intermittent fasting and death from cardiovascular disease, that does not prove causation,” the New Jersey-based expert told Fox News Digital.

“There seems to be an important distinction between the short-term benefits of the time-restricted diet and the long-term risks.”

She added, “The conclusions counteract the positive benefits of time-restricted eating in a body of previous research, plus the data was based on self-reported dietary records at a few points in time.”

Anyone with medical conditions should speak to their physician or registered dietitian before starting a restrictive diet, experts said.  (iStock)

It’s not known whether the participants continued time-restricted eating for the duration of the study period, Harris-Pincus pointed out. And self-reported food intake can be affected by memory lapses or unintentional inaccuracies. 

“It also did not evaluate additional lifestyle factors that play a role in overall health,” she said.

Anyone with medical conditions should speak to their physician or registered dietitian before starting any restrictive diet, Harris-Pincus recommended. 

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She added, “Intermittent fasting is not appropriate for people with a history of disordered eating or active eating disorder, those with hypoglycemia or Type 1 diabetes on insulin, children under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and more.” 

Despite the limitations, Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in North Carolina who works as The Lupus Dietitian, said the study is a “very important addition” to the current data on time-restricted eating. 

“Additionally, while we don’t learn the details of the participants’ diet in the study, what you eat is incredibly important as well.”

“In the past, there have been many benefits noted with time-restricted eating; however, this study is perfect proof that more is not always better,” Freirich, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. 

“There seems to be an important distinction between the short-term benefits of the time-restricted diet and the long-term risks.”

The study reinforces the importance of receiving personalized nutrition advice, according to Freirich.

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“For people on certain medications or for people who have difficulty maintaining stable blood sugar, blood pressure, or hydration, time-restricted eating may be too difficult to maintain and detrimental to their health,” she cautioned.

“Additionally, while we don’t learn the details of the participants’ diet in the study, what you eat is incredibly important as well.”

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In light of this new research available, Freirich advised that people following a time-restricted eating pattern check in with their doctor and assess their cardiovascular health.  

Fox News Digital reached out to the American Heart Association and the study researchers for additional comments.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health.