Psychiatry - Eponymous syndromes

Question 1

Briquet’s syndrome

Answer 1

A chronic, severe disorder in which patients present with bodily symptoms that are unexplained by any medical condition. Sufferers are often female and may suffer anxiety, depression, panic disorder and personality disorder

Question 2

Capgras syndrome

Answer 2

A type of delusional msidentification. Psychotic state characterised by a delusion in which the patient believes a relative or close friend has been replaced by a double

Question 3

Cotard’s syndrome

Answer 3

Psychotic state characterised by nihilistic delusion in which the patient believes their body parts do not exist or that they are already dead

Question 4

Couvade syndrome

Answer 4

A somatoform like disorder where expectant fathers experience symptoms resembling those of pregnancy including abdominal swellings, spasms, nausea and vomiting. Anxiety and aching pains are also common

Question 5

De Clerambault’s syndrome

Answer 5

Also known as erotomania. A psychotic state (especially in women, increasingly seen in men) characterised by unfounded and delusional beliefs that someone else, usually of a higher social or professional status, is in love with them. The patient may make inappropriate advances to the person and become angry when rejected. Some talkers suffer from this

Question 6

Ekbom’s syndrome

Answer 6

Also known as delusional parasitosis. A psychotic state characterised by delusions in which the patient believes that insects are colonising the body, particularly the eyes and skin. The patient may present at dermatology clinics or to infectious diseases physicians, requesting deinfestation

Question 7

Folie a deux

Answer 7

Also known as induced psychosis. A delusional belief that is shared by two or more people who are closely related emotionally and only one of whom has other psychotic features. The pair are often isolated either in terms of distance or by cultural or language barriers. The psychotic individual tends to be more intelligent and better educated, and often has a dominating influence over the other person.

Question 8

Fregoli syndrome

Answer 8

A type of delusional misidentification. Psychotic state characterised by a delusion in which the patients believe that strangers have been replaced with familiar people.

Question 9

Ganser syndrome

Answer 9

A type of dissociative disorder in which the patient gives approximate answers to simple questions, e.g. when asked how many legs a cow has, they may reply seven. Other dissociative symptoms may be present.

Question 10

Gerstmann syndrome

Answer 10

A name given to a combination of symptoms – agraphia, finger agnosia, acalculia, and confusion of left and right sides – that may occur when the patient has a dominant parietal lobe lesion.

Question 11

Munchausen syndrome

Answer 11

A type of factitious disorder characterised by deliberately feigned symptoms; these may be physical, e.g. chest pain, or psychiatric, e.g. hallucinations. The patient presents many times to hospital clinics and accident and emergency departments. They often give false addresses and have no regular GP. When discovered, they usually appear angry and discharge themselves from hospital against medical advice.
There is a variation of this disorder known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which a mother or carer fakes the illnesses of the child.