Inflammation may be behind a mysterious phenomenon known as dissociation, a mental state that includes "out-of-body" experiences and the feeling that the world is "unreal," emerging research suggests.

Scientists have long known that this altered state of consciousness is often triggered by trauma. But new research hints at how: Trauma triggers a stress response, which dials up chronic inflammation. The findings are part of a broader shift in psychiatric research as experts increasingly examine how the immune system may play a role in mental health conditions.