Clinical Lycanthropy, Neurobiology, Culture: A Systematic Review
Frontiers in Psychiatry October 11, 2021 Sélim Benjamin Guessoum, Laelia Benoit, Sevan Minassian et al. 15 citations
Clinical lycanthropy is a rare syndrome in which a patient believes they are turning into a wolf. A systematic review of 43 cases found it is associated with schizophrenia, psychotic depression, bipolar disorder, and other psychotic disorders. Antipsychotic medication may be an effective treatment, with antidepressants or mood regulators used when depression or mania is present. Neuroscientific hypotheses include viewing it as a cenesthopathy, a delusional misidentification of the self, or involving impairments in sensory integration, belief evaluation, or right hemisphere anomalies. The syndrome overlaps with other delusional misidentification syndromes and may be a culture-bound syndrome influenced by Western myths and media. A cultural, narrative, and patient-centered approach is recommended for assessment and care.