Speech and language difficulties in a patient with schizophrenia-like disorder: a case report

Neurocognitive complications, such as speech and language dysfunctions are common comorbids in psychiatric patients with underlying medical conditions, such as stroke. Ascertaining a diagnosis is not usually easy, especially in the hands of the primary physicians who first attend to such patients. In addition, making diagnosis purely on previous psychiatric presentations, without thorough neurological and neurocognitive evaluation, is a mistake psychiatrists should avoid. Cultural belief systems in Nigeria play important role in the choice of care people with psychiatric problems receive, and the dearth in the country's mental health personals is a be-deviling handicap to providers of mental health services in the country. The author presents the case of a 52 year old man with schizophrenia-like psychosis that was complicated by speech and language problems following a cerebrovascular accident. In conclusion, doctors especially psychiatrists should be alert to co morbid physical illnesses in patients with psychiatric presentations.