Mirror self-misrecognition in dementia: caring about the person’s identity

Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2021     |     PP. 269-273      |     PDF (411 K)    |     Pub. Date: July 28, 2021
DOI: 10.54647/cm32550    82 Downloads     4683 Views  

Author(s)

Stephan Eyer, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Centre Hospitalier du Valais Romand, Sierre; Memory Clinic, Centre Hospitalier du Valais Romand, Sierre; Clinical Ethics Committee, Hôpital du Valais, Sion

Abstract
Objectives and Design – This case report describes the disturbing symptom of mirror self-misperception, a delusion known as Capgras syndrome.
Setting and Participant – A video recording captures the confusion of a demented patient who does not recognize himself in his reflected image, and instead perceives that he is looking at an identical “twin brother”.
Results – It shows the delusion of misperception both in interpretation of the reflected image (mirror agnosia), and in self-recognition (autoprosopagnosia).
Conclusions and Implications - Self-misperception raises questions of how to maintain a sense of personal identity during care-giving. A person-centered and touch-based approach not only provides reassurance, but also can help preserve individual integrity and identity.

Keywords
Self-misrecognition, Capgras delusion, mirror behaviors

Cite this paper
Stephan Eyer, Mirror self-misrecognition in dementia: caring about the person’s identity , SCIREA Journal of Clinical Medicine. Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2021 | PP. 269-273. 10.54647/cm32550

References

[ 1 ] Ghika J, Diéguez S, Assal F et al. Mirror behaviors in dementia: the many mirror signs. Rev Med Suisse. 2013 Nov 13;9(406):2095-9.
[ 2 ] Woehrle L, Ghika JA, Coutaz M et al. Capgras delusion and Alzheimer disease. Rev Med Suisse. 2018 Jun 20;14(612):1310-1313.