Delusional Misidentification Syndromes in Patients of Paranoid Schizophrenia: Case Series and Review

Abstract

Delusional Misidentification is a vast term for a group of Delusional Disorders involving a belief that the identity of a person, object or a place has somehow changed or has been altered. The term ‘Delusional Misidentification Syndrome’ (DMS) was first used by Christodoulou. It can occur in various conditions. Schizophrenia, mood disorders, drug intoxication, infections, endocrinal disorders, epilepsy, dementia, delirium and head injury. It is usually associated with impairment in facial recognition and marked impairment in working memory. Here we report five cases of DMS in the setting of paranoid schizophrenia, either as a single DMS or combination of various DMS, like Fregoli, Capgras, and Clonal pluralization. We also reviewed and discussed other cases of DMS reported in literature including the demographics, psychiatric disorders in which they occurred, underlying neurological abnormalities and their response to treatment.

Keywords

• delusional misidentification
• paranoid schizophrenia
• facial recognition
• fregoli
• capgras
• clonal pluralization