De Clérambault's Syndrome in Organic Affective Disorder

Abstract

Two patients with erotomania (de Clérambault's syndrome) associated with epilepsy and head trauma are presented. The delusion appeared during periods of mania or hypomania and partially remitted during depression or euthymia. Erotomania may be seen in a wide variety of psychotic conditions, including those that are organically based.

Somatic sexual hallucinations and erotomanic delusions in a mentally handicapped woman

“…The delusion is often intense and particularly difficult to treat. Erotomanic delusions have been reported in patients with Alzheimer's disease (Drevets 1987;Carrier 1990), affective disorders (Signer & Cummings 1987a;Signor & Swinson 1987), and schizophrenia (Hayes & O'Shea 1985). It has also been reported to occur in the absence of all other psychopathology, that is, independent of any other disorder.…”

Neuropsychiatric Illness in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Insights From a Patient With Erotomania and Geschwind's Syndrome

“…He divided the condition into a primary form that begins suddenly, involves one love object, and is usually chronic, and a secondary form that begins insidiously, involves multiple love objects, and is recurrent. Erotomania has been associated with traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, seizure disorders, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia with motor neuron disease (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). Subsequent case series (2)(3)(4)(5)(6) have suggested that erotomania is a rare illness usually seen in individuals in their late 30s to mid-40s.…”

Erotomania in a brain‐damaged male

“…They usually manifest varying combinations of a slower onset of symptoms, a less stable course, other persecutory and sometimes bizarre delusions, and multiple love objects. Signer & Cummings (1987b) showed that a significant mood change is invariably present. The site and exact nature of the organic factor may colour the picture further.…”