Cotard delusion in a depressed patient: My throat is missing!

Cotard's syndrome is a rare neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by marked nihilistic delusions. This report describes an Indonesian woman from a small town in Malaysia who was diagnosed with depression and Cotard's delusion. The diagnosis was confirmed after thorough history-taking, clinical examination, and relevant laboratory tests. Herein, we highlight the unique psychopathology of a possible Cotard's syndrome subtype and efficacy of pharmacological combination strategies, rather than monotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy, for its treatment.

Automated summary

This report presents a rare case of Cotard's syndrome, a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by extreme nihilistic delusions. The patient, an Indonesian woman from a small town in Malaysia, was initially diagnosed with depression and Cotard's delusion, which was later confirmed through comprehensive evaluations. The article emphasizes the unique psychopathology of a possible subtype of Cotard's syndrome and the efficacy of combination pharmacological strategies for its treatment, rather than monotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy.