[Capgras syndrome or delirium of doubles. Presentation of a new case]

Capgras syndrome is an unfrequent delusional disorder based on the patient's belief that a significant person for him or her, mainly the spouse, becomes a "double", undistinguishable from the real one, but threatening in some way. There are about two hundred reports of the syndrome in international psychiatric literature. This paper describes a new case in a woman aged 68, diagnosed of Major Affective Disorder, without signs of any other organic mental disease. The authors review some ethiological theories in relation with the disorder, which are contrasted with the characteristics of the new case.