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Idiopathic musical hallucinations in the elderly
1Department of Family Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Idiopathic musical hallucinations in older adults predominantly affect females with hearing loss. Antidepressants and anticonvulsants/anxiolytics show promise in treating these auditory hallucinations.
Area of Science:
- Geriatrics
- Neurology
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Musical hallucinations are complex auditory phenomena.
- Idiopathic musical hallucinations (IMH) are rare, particularly in the elderly.
- Understanding IMH in older adults is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenomenology of idiopathic musical hallucinations in the elderly.
- To review treatment outcomes for IMH in this demographic.
- To synthesize findings from case reports for clinical insight.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search for relevant case reports.
- Inclusion criteria: English, French, or Italian publications; age ≥65; no major neurologic disease; no drug toxicity.
- Data abstraction and tabulation from 32 selected case reports.
Main Results:
- IMH predominantly affected elderly females.
- A significant proportion (one-third) of affected individuals had co-occurring depression.
- Hearing impairment was a common comorbidity.
- Treatment with antidepressants for depressed patients and anticonvulsants/anxiolytics for non-depressed patients showed positive results.
Conclusions:
- Elderly females with hearing impairment are a key demographic for IMH.
- Comorbid depression is frequent and warrants specific treatment.
- Pharmacological interventions, including antidepressants and anticonvulsants/anxiolytics, appear effective in managing IMH symptoms.