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Mental Illness/Psychiatry
A Syndrome Known As Capgras Delusion Will Drive an Entire Family Nuts
There is not enough research to find a treatment
Capgras Delusion is a psychiatric disorder in which a person holds a delusion that a friend, spouse, parent, or other close family member (or pet) has been replaced by an identical impostor. It is named after Joseph Capgras (1873 — 1950), a French psychiatrist. What Is Capgras Delusion. Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD — Written by Ana Gotter — Updated on May 2, 2017
An example might be a mother who suddenly thinks a child is not hers but an imposter posing as her child. Obviously, this can be very upsetting for all involved.
Capgras Delusion or sometimes called Capgras Syndrome is rare and has not been researched in depth. Most information has come from actual case studies. Up to 16% of people with Lewy Body dementia or late-stage Alzheimer's Disease have Capgras.
People with Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder are more prone to have the syndrome. These brain conditions make one susceptible to delusions.
