The clinical features and treatment of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) depend on one's recognition of clinical syndromes that have not been sufficiently studied. One case study found that the specific neuropsychiatric events could be attributed to the activity of the underlying immunological disease. However, the patient with Cotard delusions showed rapid remission in cognition following electroconvulsive therapy. 


Cotard delusion in a patient with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus

Cotard’s syndrome, a condition in which the patient denies his or her own existence or the existence of body parts, is a rare illness that has been reported in association with several neuropsychiatric diagnoses. One study found that patients exhibited frontal lobe changes/volume loss, ischemic changes, and right-sided/bilateral hemisphere lesions. 


Neuropsychiatric Analysis of Cotard Delusion

Recent work in cognitive neuropsychiatry explains the Capgras and Cotard delusions as alternative explanations of unusual qualitative states caused by damage to an affective component of the face recognition system. Typically, cotard patients attribute their condition to drastic changes in themselves and Capgras patients attribute the same changes to alterations in the environment. 


Cognitive Neuropsychology of Cotard delusion

One way to examine or learn more about Cotard Syndrome is to study the neurological and cognitive components of the delusion disorder. 

Scripps College

 In this delusional syndrome, individuals believe they have lost something important, such as status and bodily organs, amongst other possessions.

Cotard Syndrome

Neuropsychological and Cognitive Components of Cotard Syndrome

References for Cotard Syndrome

Given the prevalence rate for Cotard Syndrom, recent psychologists have examined the presentation, symptomatology, and comorbidity of the delusion disorder. 

Presentation of Cotard Syndrome

During one case study, researchers found that delusion were reinforced by his religious belief that life was an attribute of God, and by inference, he as a human, was dead. As such, it is important to study the co-occurrence of CD in schizophrenia, their differentiation, the increased risk of violence and self-harm behavior in this presentation, and how specific events and religious factors can influence delusional themes of CD. 

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