Confabulation, the self, and ego functions: The ego dysequilibrium theory

This chapter argues that there is a continuum of confabulation along a neutral-personal dimension that is determined by the degree that the confabulation is delusional, motivated, and distorted by the individual's emotional needs and influenced by premorbid personality. The personal and delusional forms are significantly associated with right hemisphere and especially right frontal functions. An ego dysequilibrium theory of personal confabulation is proposed in this chapter in which the right hemisphere plays a critical role in determining the personal relatedness of the self to the world. However, it must also be the case that since personal confabulation is a verbal behaviour, left hemisphere functions will always play a central role in their creation.