Charles Bonnet syndrome with major depression in a Chinese middle-aged man.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a middle-aged patient with Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) suffering from concurrent major depression.


METHODS
A 41-year-old Chinese man with retinitis pigmentosa developed complex and vivid visual hallucinations. This was followed by the onset of major depressive illness. His visual hallucinations were greatly influenced by his cultural background and changed during the course of his depression.


METHODS
The patient was treated with imipramine.


RESULTS
The patient had a relapse of depression due to his non-compliance. He recovered after the resumption of imipramine but the visual hallucinations persisted.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients suffering from CBS can have another concurrent psychiatric illness. The content and form of this patient's visual hallucinations were modified by his cultural background and depressive illness. Sensory deprivation is suggested to be the pathogenic mechanism of his visual hallucination.
Fong
S Y
SY
Kwai Chung Hospital, Hong Kong.
Wing
Y K
YK
D000328:Adult; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000523:psychology*; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D013577:Syndrome; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000187:drug effects
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D007099:Imipramine