Abstract

LAZARO PERLADO, Fernando; CONDE RIVAS, Manuel; CAMINERO OLEA, María Victoria  and  BARAIAZARRA RUIZ, Jon. The psychosis of epilepsy: a case report and literature review. Rev. Asoc. Esp. Neuropsiq. [online]. 2013, vol.33, n.118, pp.361-375. ISSN 2340-2733.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S0211-57352013000200010.

We describe the case of a 72 year old man with a diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy and paranoid schizophrenia, who presented atypical psychotic episodes which did not respond to anti-psychotic medication. His personality had not deteriorated and he showed good social adjustment and functioning. After reviewing the case, we challenged the diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, proposing an alternative diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy with ictal psychosis. He was successfully treated and discharged home. We review the literature on the subject. The psychosis of epilepsy are a diagnostic option which must be seriously considered in cases of treatment resistant atypical psychosis in subjects with good pre-morbid functioning and social adjustment free from personality decline.

Keywords : temporal lobe epilepsy; ictal psychosis; psychosis of epilepsy; schizophrenia like psychosis of epilepsy.

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