IFL Science
By Benjamin Taub
May 23, 2026
Hyperfamiliarity for faces (HFF) is a rare, disorienting condition characterized by feeling a strong sense of recognition for faces you’ve never actually seen before. Thanks to a new brain-imaging study – with a little help from the characters in HBO’s Game of Thrones – researchers have finally figured out what causes this confusing disorder.
To learn about the neurological underpinnings of HFF, the study authors scanned the brain of 49-year-old Nell, who developed the condition suddenly after a migraine. As a result, she often feels a pang of recognition when meeting complete strangers.
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