Emily Chan
Traumatic brain injuries can affect mood, emotional regulation, memory, and other important processes, such as what you see or hear. When the temporal cortex is damaged, the ability to recognize faces might be lost.
Capgras syndrome is also associated with several neurological conditions, including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and stroke. These conditions can affect memory and how the patient perceives reality.
Around 16 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease also have Capgras syndrome, and a 2019 review found that of 258 people diagnosed with Capgras syndrome, 32 percent also had schizophrenia.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of Capgras syndrome will vary between individuals. The primary feature is that the supposed imposter or double is someone that the person is familiar with. Some other symptoms might include violent outbursts, aggressions, and hallucinations.
People with Capgras syndrome typically believe that the supposed imposter means them harm, so their behavior will become hostile.
Treatment
More research on Capgras syndrome is needed to establish a treatment plan, but options exist to help improve symptoms.
Depending on the underlying cause, medications may be prescribed, such as cholinesterase inhibitors for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients or antipsychotics for people with schizophrenia. Therapy can also ground patients in the reality of their environment and help them overcome their delusions.
