The frontal lobes and content-specific delusions.
Contemporary research has shown that delusions are often the product of identifiable neurologic disease, particularly when the delusions have a specific theme or are confined to one topic--monosymptomatic or content-specific delusions. Although these delusions are considered rare, some of them can be found at high rates in certain populations and settings. The literature on several classes of content-specific delusions (misidentification, sexual, and somatic) is critically reviewed. The review demonstrates that when adequate diagnostic workups are conducted, a high proportion of such delusions are found to have a neurologic basis. Lesions of the frontal lobes and the right hemisphere are shown to be critical to the development and persistence of many content-specific delusions.
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island.
P F
PF
Malloy
E D
ED
Richardson
D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013577:Syndrome