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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

EV0343

Personality disorders in Hallervorden–Spatz disease

PERSONALITY DISORDERS IN HALLERVORDEN SPATZ DISEASE

A personality disorder associated with recurrent suicide attempts and mild cognitive impairment were identified in a patient with Hallervorden–Spatz disease, highlighting that neurodegenerative diseases can produce psychiatric symptoms.

The aim is to present a case suggesting that personality disorder may be among the possible manifestations associated with Hallervorden–Spatz disease. The method consists of a case report of a 37-year-old patient diagnosed with Hallervorden–Spatz disease. The patient entered psychiatric follow-up at the age of 18 after a suicide attempt by medication overdose that required hospitalization; over the course of follow-up, the patient made a total of 5 suicide attempts by medication overdose, all described as reactive and unplanned, and had received ongoing SSRI treatment during earlier periods. On examination, the patient reported no mood symptoms or persistent anxiety, denied thoughts of death, and expressed disapproval of the suicide attempt; an anxiety disorder was initially diagnosed. During follow-up, the diagnosis was revised to unspecified personality disorder and mild cognitive impairment, with a possible underlying organic contribution also considered, and ongoing psychopharmacological treatment was not deemed necessary. Intelligence testing yielded a full-scale IQ of 65; as this was lower than expected based on the patient's prior history, it was suggested that some degree of mild cognitive impairment attributable to Hallervorden–Spatz disease might be present, and the patient showed no awareness of these deficits. In conclusion, neurodegenerative diseases can produce psychiatric symptoms; behavioral changes may sometimes precede neurological symptoms, while in other cases disturbances in mental status and physical functioning coexist, and accurate assessment and appropriate treatment may be challenging in either situation.

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