Cotard delusion
Cotard delusion (pronounced: koʊˈtɑːrd dɪˈluːʒən) is a rare mental disorder in which the affected person holds the delusional belief that they are already dead, do not exist, are putrefying, or have lost their blood or internal organs.
Etymology
The term is named after Jules Cotard, a French neurologist who first described the condition, which he called "le délire de négation" ("negation delirium"), in a lecture in Paris in 1880. The term "Cotard's syndrome" is also used, but "Cotard delusion" is the current preferred term in the psychiatric literature.
Symptoms
The primary symptom of Cotard delusion is the delusional belief that one is dead or non-existent. Other symptoms can include beliefs that one's body or parts of the body are missing, rotting, or have been destroyed. Some people with Cotard delusion may also have depression, anxiety, or psychosis.
Causes
The exact cause of Cotard delusion is unknown, but it has been associated with several psychiatric and neurological conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, and migraine. It has also been linked to brain lesions and abnormal brain activity in certain areas.
Treatment
Treatment for Cotard delusion typically involves treating the underlying condition, if one is present. This can include medication for psychiatric conditions, psychotherapy, or in severe cases, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Related terms
- Capgras delusion: A psychiatric disorder in which a person believes that a friend, spouse, parent, or other close family member has been replaced by an identical-looking impostor.
- Fregoli delusion: A rare disorder in which a person believes that different people are in fact a single person who changes appearance or is in disguise.
See also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cotard delusion
- Wikipedia's article - Cotard delusion
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski