Hallucinosis
The content of the article:
- Causes and risk factors
- Forms
- Signs
- Diagnostics
- Treatment
- Prevention
Hallucinosis (hallucinatory syndrome) is a mental disorder manifested by an abundant influx of hallucinations (imaginary perception of various phenomena that do not exist in reality) without any disorder of consciousness. For the first time the term "hallucinosis" was used in 1900 by the German neuropsychiatrist K. Wernicke when describing a condition arising in alcoholics, accompanied by multiple auditory hallucinations against the background of absolutely intact consciousness.
Hallucinosis is a mental disorder accompanied by multiple hallucinations against the background of intact consciousness
Causes and risk factors
Most often, hallucinosis develops under the influence of the following conditions:
- epilepsy;
- organic brain damage (tumors, hemorrhages, trauma);
- encephalitis;
- schizophrenia;
- severe infectious and somatic diseases;
- chronic alcoholism.
Forms
Depending on the duration of the course, acute and chronic hallucinosis are distinguished. The acute form usually lasts no more than two weeks and is manifested by motor excitement, pronounced affect. Chronic hallucinosis can last for several years; it is characterized by the presence of "voices in the head" or other monotonous hallucinations.
By the type of deception of the senses, the following forms of hallucinatory syndromes are distinguished:
- verbal hallucinosis;
- peduncular visual hallucinosis (Lermitt syndrome);
- visual hallucinosis of Van Bogart;
- visual hallucinosis Bonnet;
- Gobek's olfactory hallucinosis;
- tactile hallucinosis.
Signs
The clinical picture of different forms of hallucinosis is different.
Lermitte's syndrome, or peduncular visual hallucinosis, is manifested by visual hallucinations arising in the dark in the form of vague figures of animals or people, small objects. Patients remain critical of their condition.
Hallucinations in the form of cartoons, people with distorted facial features or geometric shapes are characteristic of Bonnet's visual hallucinosis. Visions spontaneously arise in people with organic visual impairments and quickly disappear. Criticism of his condition has been preserved in full.
Van Bogart's visual hallucinosis is accompanied by an abundance of bright images of small size (birds, flowers, butterflies). Often, with this form of mental disorder, visual hallucinations are combined with auditory hallucinations.
With verbal hallucinosis, auditory hallucinations occur. Patients can hear both one voice and several, which enter into active dialogues with each other. These "voices" discuss the reality surrounding the patient or give him instructions on the commission of certain actions. Over time, auditory hallucinations lead to the formation of hallucinatory-delusional syndromes, in which criticism of one's condition is lost.
With verbal hallucinosis, a person hears one or more voices at once
Olfactory hallucinosis is rare and is usually a symptom of schizophrenia. Patients experience unpleasant odors emanating from their body or surrounding objects.
The hallucinosis of the general feeling has many manifestations. Most often, patients complain of the sensation of insects crawling over their bodies (tactile hallucinosis, dermatozoal delirium). Much less often patients complain about insects inside their bodies (visceral hallucinosis).
Diagnostics
With hallucinosis, a medical examination is necessary to establish the cause of the hallucinations. In order to detect (or exclude) organic brain lesions, computed and (or) magnetic resonance imaging of the brain is performed.
MRI reveals organic brain lesions leading to hallucinosis
Hallucinosis requires differential diagnosis with schizophrenia, oneiroid syndrome and a number of other mental illnesses, in the clinical picture of which hallucinations are also present.
Treatment
Therapy for hallucinosis is determined by the nature of the underlying disease. To quickly eliminate hallucinations, patients can be prescribed tranquilizers and antipsychotics. In severe cases, urgent hospitalization of the patient in the psychiatry department is indicated.
Prevention
Prevention of the development of hallucinosis consists in the timely and active treatment of organic brain diseases, prevention of alcoholism.
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Elena Minkina Doctor anesthesiologist-resuscitator About the author
Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute, specializing in general medicine in 1991. Repeatedly passed refresher courses.
Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the city maternity complex, resuscitator of the hemodialysis department.
The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
