Popularly called erotomania, this syndrome was first described by G.G. De Clérambault in 1885, and is characterized by the delusional idea, usually in a young woman, that a man whom she considers to be of higher social and/or professional standing is in love with her. The patient develops an elaborate delusional process about this person, the love for her/him and the inability to escape his/her “affectionate clutches.” This syndrome may persist for a period of a few weeks to a few months in the recurrent form and be replaced by a similar delusion about another person. In the fixed form it may persist for several years.

Both primary and secondary types of erotomania have been identified, the latter being associated with evidence of an aetiologically significant organic or psychiatric condition. The aetiology of primary erotomania is not yet fully understood.

To describe two case studies of patients diagnosed with De Clérambault Syndrome and make a review of the literature.

Search in the PubMed/MedLine and Medscape databases with the following key words: Clérambault; Erotomania.

The aetiology of primary erotomania is not yet fully understood, being the psychodynamic explanations the most accepted, but neuroimaging, genetic studies and findings from evolutionary psychopathology may help us in the near future to understand this condition.