ABSTRACT
Delusional misidentification syndromes (DMSs) are complex psychotic phenomena that may be present in a variety of ways within the context of several neurological and psychiatric disorders. Since the first case of Capgras syndrome was described in 1923, various other syndromes have been identified, including Fregoli syndrome, intermetamorphosis, subjective doubles, reduplicative paramnesia, mirrored self, delusional companions, and clonal pluralization of the self. In this article, we review each of the different syndromes in definition and presentation, as well as the field's attempts at classifying them. We then describe their role in forensic psychiatry, particularly in regard to their potential as a marker of a particular subpopulation or of illness severity and their consideration in risk assessments of violence. A review of the literature was conducted for this purpose, and, although it was extended to include publications from over four decades, it revealed a paucity of research on DMSs.
Subject(s)
Capgras Syndrome/diagnosis , Schizophrenia, Paranoid/diagnosis , Brain Diseases/classification , Brain Diseases/diagnosis , Brain Diseases/psychology , Capgras Syndrome/classification , Capgras Syndrome/psychology , Dangerous Behavior , Expert Testimony/legislation & jurisprudence , Homicide/legislation & jurisprudence , Homicide/psychology , Humans , Insanity Defense , Mental Competency/legislation & jurisprudence , Schizophrenia, Paranoid/classification , Schizophrenia, Paranoid/psychology , United StatesABSTRACT
The case of a 16-year old Jamaican girl who presented to the psychiatric service of a general hospital with features of Capgras syndrome is presented. Her history, treatment, progress and relevant psychodynamic and neurocognitive issues are explored. This is the first known published case of an adolescent with Capgras syndrome from the Caribbean. The case highlights that the syndrome may occur in different cultural contexts and that clinicians should be sensitive to its existence in order to avert under-diagnosis or misdiagnosis.
Subject(s)
Benzodiazepines/administration & dosage , Capgras Syndrome , Depression , Dibenzothiazepines/administration & dosage , Sertraline/administration & dosage , Adolescent , Antidepressive Agents/administration & dosage , Antipsychotic Agents/administration & dosage , Capgras Syndrome/diagnosis , Capgras Syndrome/drug therapy , Capgras Syndrome/psychology , Caribbean Region , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/drug therapy , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Family Relations , Female , Humans , Neuropsychological Tests , Olanzapine , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Quetiapine Fumarate , Remission Induction , Suicidal Ideation , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Unusual delusional syndromes are rare protean diseases with speculative etiopathogenic mechanisms. METHODS: Seven consecutive patients with advanced PD were evaluated over a 15-year period at the Movement Disorders Unit in the Neurology Service, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, and the Paraná State Parkinson's Patients Association. RESULTS: We describe advanced Parkinson's disease patients presenting with unusual delusional syndromes, including cases of Ekbom, Othello, Capgras' and Diogenes syndromes, reduplicative paramnesia and mirrored-self misidentification. CONCLUSION: There are a few isolated reports of unusual neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with PD. We believe that these syndromes associated with advanced PD in elderly patients presenting with cognitive impairment and polypharmacy are probably often underestimated. Neurologists should be aware for these rare and treatable conditions.
Subject(s)
Delusions/complications , Delusions/diagnosis , Disease Progression , Parkinson Disease/complications , Parkinson Disease/diagnosis , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Capgras Syndrome/complications , Capgras Syndrome/diagnosis , Capgras Syndrome/psychology , Delusional Parasitosis/complications , Delusional Parasitosis/diagnosis , Delusional Parasitosis/psychology , Delusions/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Parkinson Disease/psychology , SyndromeABSTRACT
The Capgras' syndrome is the delusional belief that a person or object has been replaced by an identical duplicate, usually with evil intent. A clinical, psychometric and electroencephalographic study of 9 patients afflicted with this syndrome and its variants was performed. The clinical course and the therapeutic response were assessed during the follow up that run between 2 and 11 years. The aim of this paper is to discuss the etiologically relevant psychodynamic, organic and mythological issues and to postulate an explanatory model that integrates limbic mechanisms, affect recognition processes, psychodynamic factors and anthropological aspects.
Subject(s)
Capgras Syndrome/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Capgras Syndrome/etiology , Capgras Syndrome/psychology , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , NeuropsychologyABSTRACT
The Capgras' syndrome is the delusional belief that a person or object has been replaced by an identical duplicate, usually with evil intent. A clinical, psychometric and electroencephalographic study of 9 patients afflicted with this syndrome and its variants was performed. The clinical course and the therapeutic response were assessed during the follow up that run between 2 and 11 years. The aim of this paper is to discuss the etiologically relevant psychodynamic, organic and mythological issues and to postulate an explanatory model that integrates limbic mechanisms, affect recognition processes, psychodynamic factors and anthropological aspects
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Capgras Syndrome/diagnosis , Chronic Disease , Neuropsychology , Capgras Syndrome/etiology , Capgras Syndrome/psychologyABSTRACT
Foram avaliados 260 relatos de caso sobre distúrbios de identificaçäo. Destes, 174 pacientes apresentavam síndrome de Capgras, 18 síndrome de Frégoli, 11 intermetamorfose, 17 síndrome do duplo subjetivo, 17 paramnésia reduplicativa e o restante combinaçöes de dois ou mais destes. O sexo e a idade média dos pacientes näo mostraram diferenças significativa. Sintomas psicóticos foram significativamente mais prevalentes (p < 0,005) em pacientes com sídrome do duplo subjetivo. Esquizofrenia, distúrbio de humor e síndromes mentais orgânicas foram menos freqüentemente descritas em pacientes com paramnésia reduplicativa. Estes, por sua vez, apresentavam maior prevalência de traumatismo craniano (p < 0,05) e lesöes focais de hemisférico cerebral direito (p < 0,005). A diferença entre o quociente de inteligência verbal e de desempenho encontrada sugere que os pacientes com paramnésia reduplicativa (p < 0,01) apresentam disfunçäo de hemisférico direito mais severa que os demais grupos. A identificaçäo errônea de outras pessoas (síndrome de Capgras, Frégoli e intermetamorfose) ou de si mesmo (síndrome do duplo subjetivo) pode ser expressäo de um quadro psicótico de natureza psiquiátrica ou orgânica, enquanto paramnésia reduplicativa está mais comumente associada a doenças neurológicas, particularmente quando estas afetam o hemisfério direito. A prevalência dos distúrbios de identificaçäo é possivelmente subestimada
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Identification, Psychological , Capgras Syndrome/psychology , England/epidemiology , Psychotic Disorders/complications , Retrospective Studies , Capgras Syndrome/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A propósito de tres casos, se revisa el Síndrome de Capgras de acuerdo con la literatura actual sobre el mismo y las características clínicas de los casos presentados, se hace una breve discusión sobre las peculiaridades clínicas del cuadro así como algunos aspectos psicopatológicos y etiopatologías de este síndrome delusional de suplantamiento de identidad.
Upon three clinical cases, CapgrasÆ Syndrome is reviewed according to the up-to-date literature on the subject and the clinical characteristics of the case-histories presented. A brief discussion is made as to clinical traits as well as to some psychopathologic and ethiopathogenic aspects of this delusional misidentification syndrome.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adult , Female , Capgras Syndrome , Capgras Syndrome/etiology , Capgras Syndrome/pathology , Capgras Syndrome/psychologyABSTRACT
A possible new variant of the Capgras syndrome in an immigrant to the U.S. is presented. The biopsychosocial and phenomenological aspects of this case are discussed.