Capgras Symptoms with an Organic Basis

Abstract

Since the French psychiatrists Capgras and Reboul-Lachaux published their paper first describing the ‘illusion of doubles' in 1923, other cases of the syndrome have been published giving the impression that it really occurs only in affective disorder and in schizophrenia. This viewpoint was definitely expressed in the excellent review of the Capgras syndrome in Some Uncommon Psychiatric Syndromes by Enoch, Trethowan and Barker (1967)— ‘Since it occurs in a clear sensorium, it is obvious that there is no organic basis to the condition, but it is rather a functional illness and, as such, is explained on a psychodynamic basis.’