Neuropsychological and Pet Study of Depersonalization and Derealization: A Single Case Report.
Massimo Prior, Teresa Mercogliano, Giorgio Pigato, Leonardo Meneghetti, Franca Chierichetti, Serena Cargnel
Clinical neuropsychiatry June 1, 2021 DOI: 10.36131/cnfioritieditore20210305 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A young man with depersonalization and derealization disorder |
| Keywords | Positron emission tomography Working memory Depersonalization Derealization |
| Key findings | The authors propose that malfunction of the left frontal and prefrontal cortex causes working memory deficits, and that these deficits produce some symptoms of depersonalization and derealization. The patient's symptoms mainly affected his own body and, when concerning something else, almost exclusively affected living beings. |
Abstract
The present work depicts the case of a young man suffering from a depersonalization and derealization (DD) disorder, which mainly affects his own body. When the symptoms concern something else, they almost exclusively affect living beings. Neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric studies, as well as functional neuroanatomy studies, have led to hypothesize possible relationships among cognitive-neurofunctional alterations and symptoms of depersonalization and derealization. The present study suggests that a malfunction of the left frontal and prefrontal cortex causes deficits of working memory, producing some of the symptoms of DD.