- Idaho murder suspect Brian Coberger may have said on an online forum that he has Visual Snow Syndrome.
- It is a rare disease first described in 1995 and is estimated to affect up to 2% of the population.
- Studies suggest that depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation are common side effects.
University of Idaho murder suspect Brian Coberger may have said on an online forum when he was a teenager that he experienced strange visual disturbances.
In a series of posts on a forum called TapaTalk in 2011, user Exarr.thosewithvisualsnow wrote about a condition called visual snow. The photo associated with the username resembles Kohberger. Newsweek reported that True Crime podcast host Lauren Matthias said on her NewsNation that she and her team linked an account to her Kohberger email account. The New York Times also linked a Tapatalk account with Kohberger.
Kohberger’s attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment asking whether the Tapatalk account belonged to Kohberger and whether Kohberger had visual snow.
In a July 2011 post, Exarr.thosewithvisualsnow wrote:
Coberger, now 28, faces four counts of murder and one count of robbery in the November 13 murder of four University of Idaho students.
What is Visual Snow Syndrome?
Visual-snow syndrome is a rare disorder in which small snow-like specks appear in your vision, like noise on an old TV.
Josh Blake/Getty Images
Visual-snow syndrome is a little-known neurological disorder that scientists first recognized in 1995.
Most people who experience it constantly see small snow-like specks in their vision, as if the world in front of them were a badly tuned old TV. but can also be transparent.
That static-like vision that remains even with your eyes closed can be debilitating in some people and affect your ability to complete work or school.
How is Visual Snow Syndrome diagnosed and treated?
Visual Snow Syndrome is usually diagnosed based on the symptoms people report after other conditions that could cause it have been ruled out.
According to the National Institutes of Health, besides visual static, people experiencing visual snow syndrome also deal with light sensitivity, migraines, tinnitus and buzzing, as reported by Tapatalk users. There is a possibility that
Research suggests that depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation are common side effects of Visual Snow Syndrome.
The Mayo Clinic estimates that the condition affects up to 2% of the world’s population. It’s so rare that researchers are just beginning to understand it.
Experts aren’t sure about the cause of the disorder, but a 2022 review suggests that the visual processing centers in the brain play a role. Other studies have suggested that people with brain damage are more likely to develop Visual Snow Syndrome.
A 2020 survey of 1,100 people found that the average age of people experiencing Visual Snow Syndrome was 29, and nearly 40% of those surveyed said they had had symptoms “as long as they could remember.” increase.
The condition does not appear to deteriorate over time. Still, there is no cure for visual snow syndrome.
A study showed that a drug used to treat seizures and bipolar disorder was effective in some patients with visual snow. may be alleviated.
