Delusions are fixed 'false beliefs' and, although a hallmark feature of schizophrenia, no previous study has examined if delusions might be related to 'false memories'. We used the classic Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm to compare false memory production in schizophrenia patients who were currently experiencing delusions (ED), patients not experiencing delusions (ND) and healthy contro...

Mirrored-self misidentification is the delusional belief that one's own reflection in the mirror is a stranger. In two experiments, we tested the ability of hypnotic suggestion to model this condition. In Experiment 1, we compared two suggestions based on either the delusion's surface features (seeing a stranger in the mirror) or underlying processes (impaired face processing). Fifty-two high h...

Delusional parasitosis (DP) is an uncommon and complex to treat form of delusional disorder, somatic type. The syndrome may occur in association with a number of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, organic mental disorder, or even in dementia with behavioral and psychological symptoms. Evidence of efficacy of treatment options is weak and there is little known about the specific use of ...

The Ekbom syndrome, also known as delusion of parasitosis or acarophobia is an obsessive phobic state in which the patient thinks, imagines or believes that his or her skin is infested by parasites. In the hallucinatory state, he/she removes parts of the skin, identifying them as parasites. It can be primary or secondary to other organic or psychiatric diseases. Generally speaking these patient...

Ekbom Syndrome is synonymous with delusory parasitosis, a belief that one's body is infested by invisible bugs. Persons suffering from this syndrome often claim to feel dermal sensations and to visualize the bugs, although no one else can see them. Ekbom Syndrome is a delusional condition; it is intractable and cannot be corrected by argument or evidence. Ekbom Syndrome sufferers exhibit a rang...

To the Editor: Delusional parasitosis (DP) (Ekbom syndrome, psychogenic parasitosis, chronic tactile hallucinosis) is a false but unshakable conviction of personal infection by ‘bugs’ of some sort; that is, ectoor endoparasites or other pathogens. This condition may be increasing in frequency, but the subject is virtually absent from the South African medical literature. Failure to diagnose DP ...

© 2010 The Authors. doi: 10.2340/00015555-0909 Journal Compilation © 2010 Acta Dermato-Venereologica. ISSN 0001-5555 The clinical presentation of delusional parasitosis, the fixed false belief of being infested by small creatures or inanimate particles, undergoes constant modulation by cultural phenomena as for the exact type of imaginary pathogens, but is otherwise very stable (1, 2). One of t...

OBJECTIVE To review the results of skin biopsies and patient-provided specimens from patients whose assessment was consistent with delusional infestation, including delusions of parasitosis. DESIGN Retrospective medical record review. SETTING Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. PATIENTS The study population comprised all patients who were seen at Mayo Clinic and had a diagnosis of delusion...