Also know as erotomania, De Clérambault’s syndrome is one in which a delusional belief is held by a patient that another person, usually older and of higher social status, famous, wealthy or in a professional relationship with the patient is deeply in love with them.

Pursuing the object of their affections and repeatedly pestering them by telephone, by letter and with gifts is typical.  Some people suffering from this disorder arrange ‘holidays’ or ‘weddings’ with their supposed lover.

Key features are:

• The conviction of being loved
• Supposed lover does nothing to encourage or sustain the belief, usually making clear their lack of interest or concern
• Words or actions of supposed ‘lover’ are reinterpreted to maintain belief in requited love
• Belief that supposed relationship will eventually result in a permanent and loving relationship
• Preoccupations with supposed love form a central part of the subject’s existence.
• Repeated attempts to approach the supposed lover creating at least embarrassment and distress.

The condition is rare and has various aetiologies; it can surface in association with schizophrenia or affective disorders, or on its own as a single delusional disorder.  It is seen in forensic populations as a result of criminal acts secondary to the delusion and is one of a number of behaviours that may be associated with stalking.

The disorder is named after French psychiatrist Gaëtan Gatian de Clérambault (1872–1934), who published a review paper on the subject (Les Psychoses Passionelles) in 1921.  The syndrome has featured in popular works, perhaps the best well know of which is Ian McEwan’s Enduring Love.  It is thought to have effected John Hinckley, Jr. who shot President Regan in 1981 in an attempt to impress actress Jodie Foster, who he believed wanted a sign of his devotion.

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Links

Wikipedia – Erotomania
GPnotebook
Who named it?

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Capgras syndrome is one in which a patient has a delusional belief that a person or persons, usually well known to them, have been replaced by an identical impostor(s).  It usually occurs in the context of a psychotic illness (more than half of cases are associated with schizophrenia) but may be seen with other psychiatric illnesses, including brain injury or dementia.

The Capgras delusion is one of a number of delusional misidentification syndromes, a class of delusional beliefs that involves the misidentification of people, places or objects.

Joseph Capgras (1873-1950) was a French psychiatrist who first described the disorder in a 1923 paper co-authored with Reboul-Lachaux about the case of a French woman who complained that various ‘doubles’ had taken the place of people she knew.  They called this ‘L’illusion des sosies’ (the illusion of doubles).

Current thinking as to the cause of Capgras syndrome has focused on dysfunction of the inferior temporal cortex and the amydala.  The former is involved with recognising faces and the latter with the simultaneous emotional reaction.  These two structures can be damaged independently;  if the ability to recognise faces remains intact but the emotional reaction which makes them familiar is absent, it is hypothesised that the conculsion drawn will be that the person in question is an identical impostor.

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Capgras delusion – Wikipedia
Capgras syndrome - Who named it?

Uncommon psychiatric syndromes – Enoch, Enoch and Ball – is an interesting book with chapters on this syndrome and others.  I read it on holiday in Syria, which I think shows true dedication to my cause.

Papers:

Berson RJ. Capgras’ syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1983. 140 969-978

Ellis HD, Lewis MB Capgras delusion: A window on face recognition Trends in Cognitive Science 2001 5 149-56

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nb: if anyone has a view on whether it’s ‘Capgras’ syndrome’ or ‘Capgras syndrome’ then I’d be pleased to hear it.