Mental illness, violence and delusional misidentifications: The role of Capgras' syndrome in matricide

Carabellese, Felice; Rocca, Gabriele; Candelli, Chiara; Catanesi, Roberto

doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2013.10.012

Cited by 36 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In contrast to previous reports that have associated Capgras delusion with dangerousness (e.g Carabellese et al, 2014…”

contrasting

confidence: 96%

“…Here, we suggest that rather than defining Capgras delusion as monothematic, cases are simply described as presenting with monothematic Capgras or Capgras as part of a polythematic system. Carabellese et al (2014) and Silva et al (1996) claim that Capgras may be a specific risk factor for violence and, in particular, the murder of a delusionally misidentified person. These claims are particularly notable given they are largely based on a literature formed mainly of single cases or small case series.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to the extracting the same information as the original Bell et al study, we also collected information on whether there was evidence of verbal or physical aggression against the subject of delusional replacement. Capgras has been cited as indicating an increased risk of violence to those identified by the delusional person as an 'imposter' (Carabellese et al, 2014; Pauw & Szulecka) although the conclusions have largely been based on case studies and small case series.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cognitive neuropsychiatric analysis of an additional large Capgras delusion case series

Currell¹,

Werbeloff²,

Hayes³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Introduction: Although important to cognitive neuropsychiatry and theories of delusions, Capgras delusion has largely been reported in single case studies. Bell et al. (2017) previously deployed computational and clinical case identification on a large-scale medical records database to report a case series of 84 individuals with Capgras delusion. We replicated this approach on a new large-scale medical records database from an alternative provider of public mental health services in London while additionally examining associated instances of aggression, given previous claims that Capgras is a risk factor for violence.Methods: We identified 34 cases of Capgras delusion. Delusion phenomenology, clinical characteristics, and presence of lesions detected by neuroimaging were extracted.Results: Although most cases of Capgras involved misidentification of family members or partners, a notable minority (20.6%) included the misidentification of others. Capgras typically did not present as a monothematic delusion. Few cases had identifiable lesions with no evidence of a preponderance of right-hemisphere damage. There was no evidence of physical violence associated with Capgras delusion.Conclusions: The findings closely replicate Bell et al. (2017). The majority of Capgras delusion phenomenology is in line with the ‘dual route’ model although a significant minority of cases cannot be explained by this framework.

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“…In contrast to previous reports that have associated Capgras delusion with dangerousness (e.g Carabellese et al, 2014…”

contrasting

confidence: 96%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Cognitive neuropsychiatric analysis of an additional large Capgras delusion case series

Currell¹,

Werbeloff²,

Hayes³

et al. 2018

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is therefore essential to reconstruct the entire personal history of both the murderer and the victim, how their relationship developed, the personality of both, and their unique experiences, and, finally, how the relationship, too often, became fossilized in the pathological condition that triggered the crime (Griffith, Stankovic, & Baranoski, 2010;Verde, Angelini, Boverini, & Majorana, 2006;Carabellese, Rocca, Candelli, & Catanesi, 2014). In conclusion, the peculiar dynamics of the mother-son relationship, as well as the unique personalities and life experiences of both and, naturally, the seriousness of the mental illness, are-in our opinion-the real key to cases of matricide.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Matricide by Mentally Disordered Sons

Catanesi

Rocca

Candelli

et al. 2014

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol

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Matricide is one of the rarest of reported murders and has always been considered one of the most abhorrent crimes. Psychiatric investigations as to why a son might murder his mother yield indications of a high rate of mental illness, primarily psychotic disorders, in perpetrators. In an attempt to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of the mother-son bond in the etiology of matricide by mentally disordered sons, this article presents a qualitative study of nine cases of matricide examined at two Italian Forensic Psychiatry Departments between 2005 and 2010 and retrospective analysis of forensic psychiatry reports on the offenders. Most matricides suffered from psychotic disorders, especially schizophrenia. Nevertheless, not all the perpetrators had psychotic symptoms at the time of the crime. A "pathologic" mother-son bond was found in all cases. However, mental illness is not the only variable related to matricide and, taken alone, is not enough to explain the crime. Several factors in the history of the mother and son need to be probed, especially how their relationship developed over the years. The peculiar dynamics of the mother-son relationship and the unique personalities and life experiences of both subjects are the real key to cases of matricide.

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“…14 Since it is a socially dangerous condition, [29][30][31] it should be treated timely. They may respond to older 12 or newer antipsychotic drugs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Treatment-resistant, five-year long, postpartum-onset Capgras episode resolving after electroconvulsive therapy

Rapinesi

Kotzalidis

Casale

et al. 2015

Int J Psychiatry Med

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Postpartum psychosis, which rarely presents with Capgras syndrome (delusional misidentification), requires rapid symptom resolution. First-line drugs have important drawbacks, such as delayed onset of clinical response and secretion in breast milk. In this report, we report successful treatment of a treatment-resistant woman presenting with treatment-resistant Capgras syndrome, with onset during postpartum. A 36-year-old woman had presented with Capgras syndrome during postpartum. For more than five years, she believed her son and other family members were substituted by impostors. All adequately administrated treatments were unsuccessful. We suggested electroconvulsive therapy to overcome treatment resistance. After six electroconvulsive therapy sessions, delusions of doubles subsided and other symptoms improved. She was discharged two weeks later with a mood stabilizer and low-dose atypical antipychotic combination and is well at the one-and-a-half-year follow-up. Electroconvulsive therapy followed by a mood stabilizer-antipsychotic drug combination showed rapid, permanent, and effective control of long-standing Capgras syndrome in a young woman.

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Mental illness, violence and delusional misidentifications: The role of Capgras' syndrome in matricide

Cited by 36 publications

References 38 publications

Cognitive neuropsychiatric analysis of an additional large Capgras delusion case series

Cognitive neuropsychiatric analysis of an additional large Capgras delusion case series

Matricide by Mentally Disordered Sons

Treatment-resistant, five-year long, postpartum-onset Capgras episode resolving after electroconvulsive therapy

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