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Folie à deux in Down's syndrome. A case report
C J Meakin1, E B Renvoize, J Kent
1Bootham Park Hospital, York.
Summary
A case of folie à deux in a man with Down's syndrome and his mother with paranoid psychosis was documented. Treating the mother's psychosis led to the son's recovery without medication.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Folie à deux is a rare psychiatric disorder where a delusion or mental disorder is transmitted from one individual to another.
- Down's syndrome, a genetic condition, can be associated with various psychiatric comorbidities.
- The interplay between genetic predisposition and environmental factors in the development of shared psychotic disorders is complex.
Observation:
- A 29-year-old man with Down's syndrome developed a shared delusion with his mother.
- The mother had a pre-existing diagnosis of paranoid psychosis.
- The patient's symptoms were directly linked to his mother's psychiatric state.
Findings:
- Successful treatment of the mother's paranoid psychosis resulted in the complete remission of the son's symptoms.
- The son's recovery occurred without the necessity of psychotropic medication.
- This case highlights the potential for environmental influence and the primary psychiatric illness to drive the secondary symptoms in folie à deux.
Implications:
- This case suggests that treating the primary inducer in folie à deux can be an effective therapeutic strategy, even in individuals with developmental disabilities.
- It underscores the importance of considering the family environment and dynamics in the management of shared psychotic disorders.
- Further research into the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms underlying folie à deux, particularly in the context of genetic syndromes, is warranted.