ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 19 February 2004
Page Count: 3

Enucleation in Psychosis Associated with Aqueductal Stenosis
Scapati, F
University of Bari,

Kotzalidis, GD
Department of Psychiatric Sciences and Psychological Medicine “La Sapienza” University,

Mancinelli, I
Department of Psychiatric Sciences and Psychological Medicine “La Sapienza” University,

Pompili, M
Department of Psychiatric Sciences and Psychological Medicine “La Sapienza” University,

Tatarelli, R
Department of Psychiatric Sciences and Psychological Medicine “La Sapienza” University,

Lazanio, S
Department of Psychiatric Sciences and Psychological Medicine “La Sapienza” University,

(Received 13 January 2003; accepted 8 November 2003)

Abstract

Reports of self-enucleation are frequent in medical literature, but cases of enucleation towards another are rare.We report the case of a man, 20 years of age, who suffered from psychosis with hydrocephalus and aqueductal stenosis that required a forensic psychiatric investigation to ascertain whether he was of unsound mind when he assaulted and enucleated the right eye of an officer and led to the surgical enucleation of the victim's left eye. Based on his clinical interviews and hospitalization record, we conclude that at the time of the assault, he was suffering from a delusional disorder with religious and demonic content, visual and auditory hallucinations, illusion phenomena, delusional interpretations, imaginative elements, a feeling of terror, and command hallucinations that compelled him to perform the act of aggression.

Keywords:
forensic science, enucleation, religious delusion, schizophrenia

Paper ID: JFS2003007
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2003007
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