Archive 1992–2014

Background. Organic personality disorders are characterized by considerable changes in established premorbid behavior patterns, especially as regards the expression of emotions, needs and drives. Such clinical picture may sometimes suggest the diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Case report. In this case of a young woman (aged 28, married, with secondary vocational education) childbirth was followed by the onset of disorders. Initially the patient was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and Risperidone treatment was started. However, the patient's condition did not improve and her pharmacotherapy was associated with a number of increasing side effects. A detailed diagnostic analysis revealed organic personality disorders, i.e. features of the temporal lobe syndrome with elements of the supraorbital frontal lobe syndrome of unknown origin. Discontinuation of the antipsychotic medication and administration of symptomatic treatment resulted in an improvement of her condition.

Comment. The reported case indicates that: psychological assessment should be included in the diagnostic process, schizophrenia should be diagnosed with caution, and the process of diagnostic reasoning should be multifaceted in the case of patients with organic lesions, presenting drug resistance, and with side effects inadequate to the dosage of neuroleptic administered.