Vernon Neppe

General academic background
Professor / Dr Vernon M. Neppe: MD, PhD(Med), FRSSAf (Foreign), FAPA, FFPsych(SA), FRCPC, MMed (Psych), MB, BCh, DPM , BN&NP (UCNS), Dip ABPN (Psych), Certif. ABPN Geriatric Psych, Certif. ABPN Forensic Psych (-04), BA, DABFE, FACFE, DABFM, DABPS (Psychopharmacology), Director and President of the Pacific Neuropsychiatric Institute (PNI), practices medicine in Washington state. He is Board Certified in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry (UCNS), in psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry (ABPN), and also has an overseas specialist qualification with majors in Psychiatry and Neurology (DPM). He practices as a Neuropsychiatrist and Behavioral Neurologist and, by peer election, his expertise in these specialties is listed in all editions of the books Castle Connolly’s America's Top Doctors (2000-2006) and before that Woodward White’s The Best Doctors in America (Neuropsychiatry). He is also listed in America's Top Doctors as a Psychopharmacologist (author of the books Innovative Psychopharmacotherapy on the subject for colleagues, and Cry the Beloved Mind: A Voyage of Hope for the general public) and also as a Forensic specialist. (Forensic [Neuro-]Psychiatry) (see his monograph, How Attorneys Can Best Utilize Their Medical Expert Witness: A Medical Expert's Perspective) and as a Psychiatrist, making him apparently the only medical specialist listed in this peer chosen book listed under five different subspecialties. He is also an author and playwright (latest play Quakes) and philosopher (with his theory of Vortex Pluralism) . He is the world's leading authority on the déjà vu phenomenon: His phenomenological classic, The Psychology of Déjà Vu (1983) was the first scientific book in the area and this has been followed by a trilogy of books in 2006, namely Déjà Vu Revisited, Déjà Vu: A Second Look, and Déjà Vu: Glossary and Library. Dr Neppe is also a parapsychological researcher / anomalistic psychologist / nonlocal biopsychophysicist, an epileptologist and a professional speaker.

In 1986, Professor Neppe established (and became Director of) the first Division of Neuropsychiatry in a Department of Psychiatry in the United States (at the University of Washington in Seattle). His major current academic university affiliation reflects the unusual special honor of being an (adjunct full) Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at St Louis University, St Louis, MO (1700 miles away). He is also an attending physician at Overlake Hospital, Bellevue, WA.

Dr Neppe founded the PNI in Seattle, WA in late 1992. The PNI aims at serving as an international model in the discipline of Neuropsychiatry with clinical, academic, research, forensic and educational emphases. Prior to that, he had trained and worked at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (medical degree, internship, specialist post-graduate training and as a consultant attending then senior consultant). He was also honored as the Witwatersrand University Overseas Traveling Fellow for 1982-3 and worked at Cornell University Medical College, New York where he consolidated his psychopharmacology, chronobiology and sleep-wake disorders, epileptology, geriatric and neuropsychological experience.

He is a fellow of seven and member of fourteen professional associations (including the American or International Psychiatric, Medical, Neuropsychiatric, Epilepsy, Psychogeriatric and Clinical Psychopharmacology Associations and Societies) and his Consultancies have included the Epilepsy Institute and the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III, IV and IV-R. During 2006-2007, he served as psychopharmacological consultant for the Wechsler intelligence and memory scales (WAIS-4, WMS-4).

Amongst his other special honors are current listings in the books Marquis Who's Who in the World, Americas Top Psychiatrists and Best in the US. He was listed in Men of Achievement, Five Thousand Personalities of the World, Two Thousand Notable American Men, and Five Hundred Leaders of Influence. Dr Neppe was an International Man of the Year 1992-3 from the International Biographical Center in Cambridge, England "in recognition of his services to Neuropsychiatry, Psychopharmacology and Anomalistic Psychology." A major award is his international recognition as apparently the first physician living in the United States elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society of South Africa (Foreign Fellow, 2002). He also is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (2004). During 2006, he led the first international (and USA) delegation in Neuropsychiatry and Psychopharmacology. to China, through the People to People Ambassador program).

Professor Neppe has extensive scientific publications (including abstracts and internet, well over three hundred; on every habitable continent). He is an internationally sought after lecturer and has made more than a thousand scientific presentations in eleven countries including chairing international conferences on four continents and radio and television appearances around the world. He has lectured at about 90% of the medical schools and hospital/ clinic affiliates in the USA and Canada. He is author of seven books, served as founding editor of a journal, guest editor of another, and on the editorial boards of numerous others.

His book, Cry the Beloved Mind: A Voyage of Hope, written for the general public, patients and family members, as well as colleagues in the medical, pharmaceutical, psychological and legal professions, has been perceived as a major contribution and a classic, defining as it does, the new literary genre of "sciction".

Professor Neppe's major research areas include pharmacological, neuropsychiatric and phenomenological elements. He developed several measuring neuropsychiatric instruments and inventories including the BROCAS SCAN (Screening Cerebral Assessment of Neppe), The INSET (Inventory of Neppe of Symptoms of Epilepsy and the Temporal Lobe), the STRAW (the first time / severity measure for tardive dyskinesia), a geriatric inpatient instrument namely the PBRS (with JP Loebel) (The Problem Behaviors Rating Scale), the Neppe Psychological Screen Questionnaire (NPSQ), as well as research Subjective Paranormal Questionnaires and Narcolepsy Questionnaires. His pharmacologic areas include the only double blind study demonstrating the value of carbamazepine in dyscontrol and psychosis thereby being one of three major pioneers (with Okuma in Japan, and Post in the USA) of the whole area of anticonvulsant drugs in psychiatry, research that continues to impact on the lives of millions, the use of high dose buspirone as a successful treatment for tardive dyskinesia, and the extended use of azapirones in aggression and attention deficit disorder. He has also developed concepts in medical areas such as deinduction, non-vertiginous dizziness, dysproccia, chindling and possible temporal lobe symptoms.

Nonlocal (dimensional) biopsychophysical activities
A significant proportion of Dr Neppe's activities has been in the areas relating to nonlocal biopsychophysics, anomalistic psychology and phenomenology.

Administrative
Prior to leaving his native South Africa in 1986, founder and editor of the Parapsychological Journal of South Africa in 1980 (through its last edition in 1986). This was listed in Psychological Abstracts.
National President, and Chairman of the South African Society for Psychical Research, from 1978 to 1985, council 1975-85. Board of Governors, of the South African Institute for Parapsychological Research, Johannesburg from 1975-1986 .
Advisory consultant to the Survival Research Foundation in Florida, in 1983.
Organized the second South African conference on parapsychology in 1980.
Editorial Board, Australian Journal of Parapsychology 2001 onwards.
Founder and Organizer of the Seattle Parapsychology Group (2002 onwards)
Rhine Research Center Advisory Board (2002 onwards)

Recognitions

South African Marius Valkhoff Medal, 1982: for "exceptional contributions to psychical research" - this is an international award given occasionally (eleven recipients in 30 years).
Lectured in parapsychology on three continents
addressed three Parapsychology Foundation Conferences.
invited speaker at the 2003 at the PA in Canada.
Co-Principal Investigator with Dr John Palmer of a major Bial Foundation research grant during the years 1999 through 2002 to study subjective paranormal experience in the neuropsychiatric and temporal lobe populations.
Associate of the Parapsychological Association in 1981 and a Full Member 1983 (the first in Africa).
Member of the Society of Scientific Exploration. 1992-
Rupert Sheldrake - New Scientist Competition Winner (1983, London): International competition on research design to test a hypothesis (3 prize winners worldwide)
Invited Address, Parapsychological Association, Vancouver, BC. August 2003.
Dr. Alexander Imich's 20th essay contest: "Why parapsychology is among the most important sciences.". First prize ( “Great Scholarship”) (2004 Worldwide; 2 winners worldwide).
Co-principal Investigator with John Palmer PhD research grant through Bial Foundation, Portugal. (2000-2002) Study of subjective paranormal experience in neuropsychiatric patients including those with seizure disorders and temporal lobe pathology.
Invited Address, Society for Scientific Investigation, Florida, USA. May 2005.
Parapsychological Association Full Member 1983, Associate 1981

Websites

Terminology
Dr Neppe developed the following new terms:

subjective paranormal experience (SPE) also subjective psi experience (1979)
related subjective paranormal experients and non-experients. (1979)
time distortion relating to déjà vu experience (1981)
delta, delta-afferentation and efferentation.(1984)
9 different kinds of déjà experience (1981), 6 more in 2006.
4 specific subtypes of déjà vu.
Possibly "anomalous" into parapsychology (circa 1977)
"Nonlocal biopychophysics" (2005), also "nonlocal biopsychophysicist" (for parapsychology and parapsychologist).
Subjective paranormal experience psychosis (1984)
"Dimensionalism", "dimensional biopsychophyics" (2007)

Theory and Research

Pioneered the area of anomalistic psychology in the context of phenomenology and detailed examinations of data using déjà vu, the temporal lobe, SPE, olfactory hallucinations and out-of-body experiences as examples.
Demonstrated the links of SPE and the temporal lobe of the brain.
Suggested a new multi-axial classification of anomalous experiences.
Examined the links of psychopathology and psi.
Methodology of categorizing SPE -- low-score and high score.
Questionnaires include INSET, Neppe SPQ, Neppe BPQ
Development of a multi-axial classification system for anomalous experiences (previously NAMES: now the SEATTLE (Subjective Experience of Anomalous Trait Type Levels Evaluation).
NEASTS. NEASTS (Neppe Evaluation of Anomalous Subjective Type Scale) includes SEASTS (Screening EASTS) , BEASTS (Brief EASTS), DEASTS (Detailed EASTS)
Described the condition of Subjective Paranormal Experience Psychosis (SPE Psychosis). Demonstrated the phenomenological separation of Subjective Paranormal Experience (SPE) Déjà Vu from other forms, such as Associative Déjà Vu, Temporal Lobe Epileptic Déjà Vu and Schizophrenic Déjà Vu, implying that these may have different origins
Examined the genetic links of psi and seizure disorders.

Theses
Neppe VM. A study of Déjà vu experience. PhD Med thesis. Johannesburg, University of the Witwatersrand. 1981; 1-1-588 , Vol 1-4.

Neppe VM. An investigation of the relationship between temporal lobe symptomatology and subjective paranormal experience. MMed Psych thesis. Johannesburg, University of the Witwatersrand, 1979; 1-1-178 & i-xv.

Books and plays with some parapsychological elements
Neppe VM, (Ed.), Funkhouser, A. T. (Sub Ed): Déjà Vu: A Second Look. Seattle: Brainvoyage.com 2006. Ebook. 323 pages.

Neppe VM Déjà Vu Revisited. Seattle: Brainvoyage.com 2006. Ebook. 239 pages

Neppe VM Déjà Vu: Glossary and Library. Seattle: Brainvoyage.com 2006. Ebook 103 pages

Neppe VM: Cry the Beloved Mind: A Voyage of Hope. Seattle: Brainquest Press 1999

Neppe VM: The Psychology of Déjà Vu: Have I been Here Before? Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press. 1983. 1-277 & I-XLV.

Neppe VM Tomorrow the Earthquake: Cry the beloved hope. Brainvoyage.com. 2001. (Play)

Neppe VM Quakes. Brainvoyage.com. 2002. ( Play) [several revisions: Version 10.2 (2005)]

Some relevant publications in parapsychological area
(some are at http://www.pni.org/research/anomalous/classif_art/ and at
http://www.pni.org/neuropsychiatry/obe)

Neppe, VM. A detailed analysis of an important chess game: Revisiting ‘Maróczy versus Korchnoi’. Journal Soc. Psychical Research, 2007, 71:3, 129-147.

Neppe, V. M. Research Note: Interpreting key variables in parapsychological phenomenology by single versus screening questions. Australian J. of Parapsychology.. 2007, 7:1, June, 80-85.

Neppe VM. Peer Review and Phenomenological Analyses in Research. Australian J. of Parapsychology. 2007, 7: 2, 154-158.

Neppe VM. Psicofarmacolgia Y Experiencias Paranormales En El Contexto Psiquiatrico (Psychopharmacology of Paranormal Experiences in the Psychiatric Context). In Parra A (Ed): Psicologia de las experiences paranormales. (The Psychology of Paranormal Experiences). Libreria Akadia Editorial, Beunos Aires, Argentina. 2006, 1 ed. Chap 10,154-169.

Neppe, V.M. Why parapsychology is amongst the most important of the sciences. Australian J of Parapsychology. 2005; 5:1; 4-22.

Neppe, V. M., Palmer J. Subjective anomalous events: Perspectives for the future, voices from the past. In Storm, L., Thalbourne, M. (Eds) Parapsychology in the 21st Century: Essays on the Future of Psychical Research. MacFarland, Jefferson, NC. 2005, 242-274.

Palmer J, Neppe, VM, Exploratory Analyses of Refined Predictors of Subjective ESP Experiences and Temporal Lobe Dysfunction in a Neuropsychiatric Population. European Journal of Parapsychology, 2004, 19, 44-65.

Neppe, V.M. Parapsychological approaches to interpreting anomalous brain function and subjective paranormal experience: The out-of-body experience as an example. Proceedings of Presented Papers: The Parapsychological Association 45th Annual Convention, 2003. 2003, 132-140.

Neppe,, V.M. Psicofarmacologia y experiencia anómala en el contexto psiquiátrico: Revisando algunas ideas catorce años después. Translated into Spanish by Dr Alejandro Parra. English title: Psychopharmacology, and Anomalous Experience in the Psychiatric Context: Revisiting This Idea Fourteen Years Later. Revista Argentina de Psicologia Paranormal, 2003:14, 85-101.

Palmer J, Neppe, VM . A controlled analysis of subjective paranormal experiences in temporal lobe dysfunction in a neuropsychiatric population. Journal of Parapsychology, 2003, 67:1, 75-98.

Neppe, V. M. "Out-of-body experiences" (OBEs) and brain localisation: A perspective.” Australian Journal of Parapsychology. 2002; 2: 2, 85-96.

Neppe VM: Clinical psychiatry , psychopharmacology and anomalous experience, In: Coly L, McMahon, JDS, eds. Psi and Clinical Practice. New York: Parapsychological Foundation; 1993: 145-162.

Neppe VM. Capgras' syndrome of self. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1992; 4 (3): 352.

Neppe VM: Anomalous experience and psychopathology, In: Shapin B, Coly, L, eds. Spontaneous Psi, Depth Psychology and Parapsychology. New York: Parapsy Found; 1992: 163-180.

Morse ML , Neppe, V. Near-death experiences. Lancet. 1991; 337 (8745): 858.

Neppe VM: Anomalistic experience and the cerebral cortex, In: Krippner S, eds. Advances in Parapsychological Research 6. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland; 1990: 168-183.

Neppe VM. Subjective paranormal experiences: a decade later. Exceptional Human Experience. 1990; 8 (1/2): 37-39.

Neppe VM: Window into the mind, In: Coly L, Shapin, B, eds. Man and the Paranormal. New York: Parap. Found; 1989: 1-18.

Neppe VM , Tucker, GJ: Atypical, unusual and cultural psychoses, In: Kaplan HI, Sadock, BJ, eds. Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, Fifth Edition. . Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins; 1989: 842-852 , Ch 10. (Subjective paranormal experience psychosis discussed).

Neppe VM. Near-death experiences: A new challenge in temporal lobe phenomenology? Journal of Near-Death Studies. 1989; 7 (4): 243-248.

Neppe VM. Psychopathology of psi: I. A perspective. Parapsychology Review. 1988; 19 (5, Sep-Oct): 1-3.

Neppe VM. Psychopathology of psi: II. A new classification system for psi experience. Parapsychology Review. 1988; 19 (6 , Nov.-Dec): 8-11.

Neppe VM. Déjà vu:1. What is it.? ASPR Newsletter. 1987; 13 (1): 6-7.

Neppe VM. Déjà vu: 2. When and how? ASPR Newsletter. 1987; 13 (2): 15-16.

Neppe VM. Déjà vu: 3. Why? ASPR Newsletter. 1987; 13 (3): 24-25.

Neppe VM. Déjà vu: 4 .The differences. ASPR Newsletter. 1987; 13 (4): 31-32.

Neppe VM. Window into the mind. Parapsychology Review. 1987; 18 (2): 2.

Neppe VM. Déjà vu in the survival context. Theta. 1986; 13/14 (2): 26-29.

Neppe VM. A multiaxial classificatory system for anomalous experience. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1985; 6 (1): 57-72.

Neppe VM. Editorial comment: The out-of-body experience: A phenomenological categorization. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1985; 6 (2): 100-110.

Neppe VM. Lignocaine induced kindling: a research design to test the Sheldrake hypothesis. South African J of Science. 1984; 80 (3): 105-107.

Neppe VM: Phenomenology and the temporal lobe, In: Roll WG, Beloff, J, White, RA, eds. Research in Parapsychology 1983 . Metuchen, NJ.: Scarecrow Press; 1984:

Neppe VM: The relevance of the temporal lobe to anomalous subjective experience, In: White RA, Broughton, RS, eds. Research in Parapsychology 1983 . Metuchen, NJ.: Scarecrow Press; 1984: 7-10.

Neppe VM. Subjective paranormal experience psychosis. Parapsychology Review. 1984; 15 (2, Mar-Apr): 7-9.

Neppe VM. Autoscopy , heautoscopy and the Capgras syndrome. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1984; 5 (2): 54-60.

Neppe VM. Extrasensory perception--an anachronism and anathema. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research. 1984; 52 (798 Oct): 365-370

Neppe VM. A further test of the Sheldrake theory. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1984; 5 (1): 48-49.

Neppe VM. The temporal lobe and anomalous experience. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1984; 5 (1): 36-47.

Neppe VM. Anomalies of smell in the subjective paranormal experient. Psychoenergetics - J of Psychophysical Systems. 1983; 5 (1): 11-27.

Neppe VM. The different presentations of the Déjà vu phenomenon: New research. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1983; 4 (2): 124-139.

Neppe VM. The incidence of Déjà vu. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1983; 4 (2): 94-106.

Neppe VM. Temporal lobe symptomatology in subjective paranormal experients. Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research . 1983; 77 (1): 1-29.

Neppe VM. Genes, genetics and heritability: Beyond semantics. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1983; 4 (1): 84-85.

Neppe VM: Déjà vu: A parapsychological approach, In: Roll WG, Beloff, J, White, RA, eds. Research in Parapsychology 1982 . Metuchen, NJ.: Scarecrow Press; 1983: 226-228.

Neppe VM: The olfactory hallucination in the psychic, In: Roll WG, Beloff, J, White, RA, eds. Research in Parapsychology 1982 . Metuchen, NJ.: Scarecrow Press; 1983: 234-237.

Neppe VM. The causes of Déjà vu. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1983; 4 (1): 25-35.

Neppe VM. The concept of Déjà vu. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1983; 4 (1): 1-10.

Neppe VM. The hallucination: A priority system for its evaluation. Parapsychology Review. 1983; 14 (4, Jul-Aug): 14-15.

Neppe VM. The temporal lobe and psi. Proceedings, PA Convention, NJ . 1983; 399-404.

Neppe VM. Olfactory hallucinations in the subjective paranormal experient. Proceedings, Centenary SPR/Jubilee PA Convention, Cambridge ,England . 1982; 2 1-17.

Hurst LA , Neppe, VM. "Psi-genetics": An organic perspective. Parapsychological J of South Africa. 1982; 3 (1): 54-57.

Neppe VM. Kindling: An experimental model for the theory of formative causation. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1982; 3 (2): 77-83.

Neppe VM. Psychiatric interpretations of subjective paranormal perception. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1982; 3 (1): 6-17.

Neppe VM , Ewart Smith, M. Culture, psychopathology and psi: a clinical relationship. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1982; 3 (1): 1-5.

Hurst LA , Neppe, VM. A familial study of subjective paranormal experience in temporal lobe dysfunction subjects. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1981; 2 (2): 56-64.

Neppe VM. Is Déjà vu a symptom of temporal lobe epilepsy? S Afr Med J. 1981; 60 (23): 907-8.

Neppe VM. A study of the incidence of subjective paranormal experience. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1981; 2 (1): 15-37.

Nelson GK , Neppe, VM. The neurophysiological wave correlates of a controlled sample of subjective paranormal experients: A preliminary report. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1980; 1 (2): 99-101.

Neppe VM , Hurst, LA. Psi, genetics and the temporal lobe. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1981; 2 (2): 35-55.

Neppe VM. Subjective paranormal experience. Psi. 1980; 2 (3): 2-3.

Neppe VM. Parapsychology: A conceptual overview. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1980; 1 (1): 1-16.

Neppe VM. Subjective paranormal experience and temporal lobe symptomatology. Parapsychological Journal of South Africa. 1980; 1 (2): 78-98.

Neppe VM. The Rosemary xenoglossy. Psi. 1979; 1 (2): 5-6.

Neppe VM. Aspects of psychical phenomena. The Leech. 1973; 43 27-35.