Capgras Syndrome: Possibly More Common Among the Maori of New Zealand

Abstract

There is an apparently greater incidence of Capgras syndrome among the New Zealand Maori population compared with the European population in the most easterly catchment area served by Tauranga Hospital. In our population Capgras syndrome is a common, not rare, feature of psychotic illness, and the cases support a previously reported association of this syndrome with dangerousness.

The prevalence of Capgras syndrome in a university hospital setting

“…An increased incidence of CS among women has been reported by some authors (12,16,17) but not by others (1,3,13). In a recent study the women: men ratio for patients with CS was reported to be 2.6 (12).…”

“…Aggression, especially physical aggression, may possibly arise from identifying the misidentified person as evil, malicious, untrustworthy and threatening (27,28)). MacKirdy and Shepherd (17) reported that three out of their five cases recruited from their catchment area in New Zealand had marked feelings of hostility towards the impostor. In our sample, only three cases displayed physical aggression towards misidentified persons due to CS.…”

Response to: ‘Capgras Syndrome: Possibly More Common Among the Maori of New Zealand’

“…We wish to comment on the article ‘Capgras syndrome: possibly more common among the Maori of New Zealand’ published in the October 2000 issue of the Journal [1].…”

Can We Justifiably Draw Epidemiological Conclusions from Small Case Studies?

“…We refer to the paper by MacKirdie and Shepherd on Capgras syndrome [1]. The authors, from a small town in New Zealand, have described five cases of Capgras syndrome, three of which are Maori.…”