Fregoli Syndrome In Parkinson’s Disease

• Main Author: Yahya Karaman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2008-06-01
• Series: Türk Nöroloji Dergisi
• Subjects: delusional misidentification syndrome; Fregoli syndrome; Parkinson’s disease
• Online Access: http://www.tjn.org.tr/jvi.aspx?pdir=tjn&plng=eng&un=TJN-09719

Scientific BACKGROUND: The Fregoli syndrome is the delusional belief that one or more familiar persons, persecutors following the patients, repeatedly change their appearance. This condition involves the belief that a person who appears familiar to the patient is really impersonating and taking on the apperance of a stranger in the patient’s environment. Fregoli syndrome may occur without obvious neuropathology. In literature, it is described associated with various pyschiatric and neurologic disorders. This syndrome has often been discussed as a variant of the Capgras syndrome in literature, but these two syndromes have different phenomological structures and neuropsychological findings. CASE: We reported a case of Parkinson’s disease presenting with Fregoli syndrome that is described and the neurobiological basis of the syndrome, the finding of the neuropsychological investigations are discussed in the light of current literature. CONCLUSION: Extensive neuropsychological testing demonstrated significant deficits in executive functions, visuospatial and attentional skills. The patient’s neuropsychological profile, especially executive deficits may account for case of Fregoli syndrome associated with Parkinson’s disease