Abstract
Introduction. Misidentifications in the course of organic diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), have been associated with right sided brain dysfunction. The reasons for this association might be clarified by investigating the contribution of neurobiological, cognitive and emotional factors to distinctive types of misidentification. Methods. This study reports the cases of three patients with AD presenting a novel misidentification delusion in which objects with intrinsically comforting associations, soft toys, were experienced as sentient and triggered associated behaviours. Investigations included regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurements with HMPAO SPECT and a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. Results. All three patients showed a distinctive pattern of rCBF with dysfunction centred in the right parietal area and severe visuospatial and visuoperceptive processing deficits, with relatively preserved memory and language abilities. Conclusion. These findings support the hypothesis that this type of misidentification delusion may be facilitated by right sided regional brain dysfunction involving visuoperceptual processing. Other historical and cognitive data from these patients suggests that the appearance of the symptom may be determined by the coexistence of a more widespread disorder of reality processing, which interacts with cognitive and psychogenic factors.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 317-328 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Cognitive Neuropsychiatry |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2002 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
The emergence of delusional companions in Alzheimer's disease : An unusual misidentification syndrome. / Shanks, Michael F.; Venneri, Annalena.
In: Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Vol. 7, No. 4, 11.2002, p. 317-328.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The emergence of delusional companions in Alzheimer's disease
T2 - An unusual misidentification syndrome
AU - Shanks, Michael F.
AU - Venneri, Annalena
PY - 2002/11
Y1 - 2002/11
N2 - Introduction. Misidentifications in the course of organic diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), have been associated with right sided brain dysfunction. The reasons for this association might be clarified by investigating the contribution of neurobiological, cognitive and emotional factors to distinctive types of misidentification. Methods. This study reports the cases of three patients with AD presenting a novel misidentification delusion in which objects with intrinsically comforting associations, soft toys, were experienced as sentient and triggered associated behaviours. Investigations included regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurements with HMPAO SPECT and a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. Results. All three patients showed a distinctive pattern of rCBF with dysfunction centred in the right parietal area and severe visuospatial and visuoperceptive processing deficits, with relatively preserved memory and language abilities. Conclusion. These findings support the hypothesis that this type of misidentification delusion may be facilitated by right sided regional brain dysfunction involving visuoperceptual processing. Other historical and cognitive data from these patients suggests that the appearance of the symptom may be determined by the coexistence of a more widespread disorder of reality processing, which interacts with cognitive and psychogenic factors.
AB - Introduction. Misidentifications in the course of organic diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), have been associated with right sided brain dysfunction. The reasons for this association might be clarified by investigating the contribution of neurobiological, cognitive and emotional factors to distinctive types of misidentification. Methods. This study reports the cases of three patients with AD presenting a novel misidentification delusion in which objects with intrinsically comforting associations, soft toys, were experienced as sentient and triggered associated behaviours. Investigations included regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurements with HMPAO SPECT and a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. Results. All three patients showed a distinctive pattern of rCBF with dysfunction centred in the right parietal area and severe visuospatial and visuoperceptive processing deficits, with relatively preserved memory and language abilities. Conclusion. These findings support the hypothesis that this type of misidentification delusion may be facilitated by right sided regional brain dysfunction involving visuoperceptual processing. Other historical and cognitive data from these patients suggests that the appearance of the symptom may be determined by the coexistence of a more widespread disorder of reality processing, which interacts with cognitive and psychogenic factors.
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U2 - 10.1080/13546800244000021
DO - 10.1080/13546800244000021
M3 - Article
VL - 7
SP - 317
EP - 328
JO - Cognitive Neuropsychiatry
JF - Cognitive Neuropsychiatry
SN - 1354-6805
IS - 4
ER -