Cotard's syndrome with schizophreniform disorder can be successfully treated with electroconvulsive therapy: case report

We report a case of Cotard's syndrome associated with psychotic symptoms. A 27-year-old man was admitted to hospital with the diagnosis of schizophreniform disorder. His presenting symptoms, which had started 1 month before hospital admission, were somatic delusions of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular malfunction and the absence of a stomach, which resulted in a decrease in weight from 75 kg to 63 kg in 1 month. Cranial computed tomographic images showed dilatation of the lateral and third ventricles, whereas magnetic resonance imaging revealed central atrophy and lateral ventricle dilatation. Single-photon emission computed tomography demonstrated left temporal, left frontal and left parietal hypoperfusion. The patient did not respond to antipsychotic therapies, but he was successfully treated with electroconvulsive therapy. This report emphasizes that Cotard's syndrome may be accompanied by lesions of the left hemisphere and that electroconvulsive therapy could be the first-line therapy in such patients with psychotic disorder.