Co-existence of lycanthropy and Cotard's syndrome in a single case.

OBJECTIVE

Lycanthropy is an unusual psychiatric syndrome involving the delusion of being an animal. Cotard's syndrome is another rare condition in which the patient has nihilistic delusions and ideation of immortality. We report a psychiatric patient who had both syndromes simultaneously.

METHOD

A single case was reported.

RESULTS

A patient meeting DSM-IV criteria for bipolar mood disorder, mixed type with psychotic feature had the delusion of being transformed into a dog. He also deluded that he was dead. He was restless and had a serious sense of guilt about his previous sexual contact with a sheep.

CONCLUSION

Co-existence of lycanthropy and Cotard's syndrome has not been reported before. In this patient zoophilic orientation associated with a sense of guilt were concluded to be important factors causing his delusions.