Citation

Lauerma H, Tuliharju M. Brain Cogn. 1998; 36(1): 52-56.

Affiliation

Psychiatric Clinic, University Central Hospital of Turku, Turku, Finland. hanlau@utu.FI

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1006/brcg.1997.0958

PMID

9500883

Abstract

We describe two cases of neurological motor disorders which were experienced as religious-mystical phenomena by elderly psychotic ladies. One of the patients interpreted a mild hemiparesis as a message from divine forces that changed her left to her right and vice versa. The other patient felt that her perphenazine-induced tardive dyskinesia was the voluntary reading of a silent mantra. Involvement of mystical or religious terms in the interpretation of physical symptoms may lead to the lack of adequate treatment and care. We suggest that a psychosis-related inability to monitor one's own motor behavior is the crucial factor leading to peculiar perception of motor disorders.

Language: en