Late-life paraphrenia: an organic delusional syndrome.

Five patients with late-life onset of schizophrenic symptomatology (late-life paraphrenia) were found to have occult organic disorders. Although it was not possible to prove that the organic disorders were causal in these patients, none had any psychiatric illness until late in life and none had any significant risk factors for developing schizophrenia. This study demonstrates the need to investigate the medical and neurologic condition of any elderly patient presenting with a new onset of delusions. Modern investigative techniques may permit more accurate classification (and therapy) of some patients with late-life paraphrenia.