Cotard's syndrome

Alejandra Santos Andrade

1. Cotard's Syndrome Walking Corpse Syndrome

2. What is it ? It is a mental illness in which patients think they are dead, they feel their organs are rotting. Also, they say do not exist or can not die because they are already dead.

3. The illness is named this because Jules Cotard , a French neurologist ,was the first to recognize it as an entity and as you describe “ négation délire ” of Paris in 1880.

4. Cotard at start described the case of a patient who he gave her the nickname Mademoiselle X, who denied the existence of superior beings (God and devil), and various parts of her body, thought she was eternally sentenced and couldn´t have a natural death.

5. These are patients who have suffered brain injury after any accident. It is related to schizophrenia, depression and bipolar psychiatric disorder They are convinced that they have been to hell or heaven and indicate that this or that was disease, but any errors are returned to inhabit their body

6. T he causes of this disease are still unknown, however, is said to occur due to lack of connection between the brain areas that recognize faces and areas that the emotions associated with that recognition.

7. Some symptoms are : Depression Suicidal thoughts Belief that there is no body. It is a delirium the patient believes to be living some real form is given when only in his imagination Belief that they are running out blood. Negative thoughts Belief already dead-Con olfactory delusions even smell them rotting Belief that worms under their skin Belief that they are immortal Belief that are rotting Belief that have no internal organs. Analgesia or no pain Self-mutilation

8. Treatment is difficult, and antidepressant drugs have shown little efficacy. Treatment with antidepressants, however, is a potentially viable option that may be effective in combination with other mechanisms such as electroconvulsive therapy.

9. Conclusions : Cotard´s Syndrome It is one of the rarest diseases, one person in a million suffers it. Cotard´s Syndrome is associated with schizophrenia, so, scientists can develop treatments for both diseases. Cotard´s Syndrome is associated with Fregoli and Capgras ´ Syndrome .

10. Vocabulary : Corpse : Cadáver Entity : Entidad Hell: Infierno Lack: Falta Worms : Lombrices

11. References : http://id.tudiscovery.com/el-sndrome-del-zombi-la-enfermedad-ms-rara-del-mundo / http:// www.fogonazos.es/2013/05/entrevista-con-un-hombre-muerto.html http:// medicina.ufm.edu/index.php/S%C3%ADndrome_de_Cotard http://www.beevoz.com/2013/11/18/sindrome-de-cotard-origen-y-causas / http:// www.antroposmoderno.com/textos/sindrome.shtml