Bipolar affective disorder minus left prefrontal cortex equals schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND

An investigation of the relationship between bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia, following a severe head injury and removal of the left prefrontal cortex.

METHOD

A single case report.

RESULTS

An individual with past history of bipolar affective disorder suffered traumatic damages to the left prefrontal cortex with a second lesion in the left temporal lobe. The patient developed typical schizophrenia nine months later. The relevance of his brain lesions in determining the schizophrenic symptoms is discussed.

CONCLUSION

We propose that the specific pattern of brain injury in this patient was sufficient to change the phenotype from bipolar affective disorder to schizophrenia.