Clinical zoanthropy: a woman with the rare delusion of being an animal
Clinical zoanthropy, or the conviction of having turned into an animal, is a rare delusion. There are different views about its pathogenesis. This delusion can occur with an underlying psychiatric disorder, but it can also be secondary to structural or functional disorders of the brain. Additional investigations with brain imaging and electroencephalogram are therefore advised. Treatment for the underlying disorder is recommended. In this case report we describe a 54-year-old woman who was briefly convinced she was a chicken, followed by a generalized seizure. We discuss the epidemiology, theories about pathogenesis and treatment advice for clinical zoanthropy. We also discuss the possible relevance of epilepsy to this matter. With this case report, we hope to contribute to documenting this rare, but possibly underreported phenomenon.