Delusional disorders are a naturally occurring 'experimental psychosis'.
A delusion can only be 'explained' if it can be correlated with a demonstrable brain event, and this is only beginning to be possible. The misidentification syndromes are leading the way in demonstrating a close relationship between quite specific brain abnormalities and highly characteristic delusional symptoms. Although delusional disorder (DSM-IV 297.10) and its treatment are well described, virtually no investigations have been carried out on the neuropathological substrate. This article suggests that delusional disorder is a naturally occurring 'model psychosis' which would reward experimental study.
Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
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Munro
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002194:Capgras Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology