Capgras Syndrome in Advanced Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Psychosis is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), especially in advanced disease, and can lead to a number of psychotic symptoms, including delusions. One uncommon delusion is Capgras syndrome (CS). The authors report on three PD patients with a history of deep brain stimulation (DBS) who developed this delusion. The anatomic targets in these three patients were the subthalamic nuclei in two patients and the globus pallidus interna in one patient. The length of time between surgery and development of CS varied but was greater than 6 months. Additionally, all three patients showed evidence of impaired cognition prior to development of CS. Therefore, due to the length of time between DBS and CS in all three cases and the fact that one patient developed CS months after DBS explanation, DBS does not appear to be associated with CS. Given the distressing nature of this condition, patients with advanced PD who undergo DBS should be regularly screened for symptoms of psychosis with awareness of CS as a potential form.

Importance of Capgras syndrome in shared psychotic disorder: a case report

“…Patients with this syndrome believe that an identical stranger has replaced someone significant to them. [7][8][9] This syndrome is frequently related to aggression manifested toward "impostors", and because patients have a propensity for violence, speedy recognition and timely intervention are important. 10,11 One systematic review reported that 6% of patients with Capgras delusions show violence, which may indicate that the syndrome is associated with greater risks than first assumed.…”

“…Patients with this syndrome believe that an identical stranger has replaced someone significant to them. 7 – 9 …”