'I am dead': Cotard syndrome and dementia.

CONCLUSION: In this narrative review we emphasise the fact that cases of Cotard syndrome involving patients with dementia are reported quite infrequently. Published studies are limited to very short series or isolated cases. Clinicians are obliged to treat the disorder. They should be alert to the potential high risk inherent in this condition. Keypoints Cotard syndrome is a rare condition characterised by nihilistic delusions that may range from negation of existence of parts of the body to delusion of being dead. The prevalence and incidence of this rare syndrome are not known. Since Cotard's syndrome is conceptualised as part of an underlying disorder, several psychiatric and somatic diseases have been associated with the syndrome. The syndrome may occur in patients suffering from dementia.
PMID: 30848970 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice - March 9, 2019 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract Source Type: research