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Psychiatric Aspects of Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus

A report of five cases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

J. Pujol
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry and Psychology, Provincial Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
S. Leal
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry and Psychology, Provincial Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
X. Fluvia
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry and Psychology, Provincial Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
C. Conde
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry and Psychology, Provincial Hospital, Barcelona, Spain

Extract

Normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) was described in 1964 (Adams, 1965; Hakim, 1965) and defined by the symptom triad: dementia, motor disturbance, and sphincter disturbance. The original publication by Adams already contained a reference to psychiatric symptoms: depression, slowness, hallucinations, and apathy. Rice & Gendelman (1973) reported five cases, and commented on the development of both early cognitive impairment and behavioural regression, suggesting that personality factors might play a role in the appearance of latter symptoms. Trevor et al (1977) described a case suffering from psychotic depression, paranoid symptoms, inadequate affect, and self-destructive behaviour.

Type
II. Biological Aspects
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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