Stručni rad

https://doi.org/10.57140/mj.53.3.8

Dissociative amnesia with fugue features in a patient with Huntington's disease

Ante Štefić orcid.org/0009-0000-9262-0212 ; Nacionalna memorijalna bolnica "Dr. Juraj Njavro", Vukovar, Hrvatska
Vanja Đuričić ; Nacionalna memorijalna bolnica "Dr. Juraj Njavro", Vukovar, Hrvatska
Valentin Kordić ; Klinički bolnički centar Osijek, Osijek, Hrvatska
Sara Đuričić ; Medicinski fakultet Osijek, Osijek, Hrvatska
Maristela Šakić ; Specijalna bolnica za psihijatriju i palijativnu skrb "Sveti Rafael", Šumetlica, Hrvatska
Melita Jukić ; Nacionalna memorijalna bolnica "Dr. Juraj Njavro", Vukovar, Hrvatska

Sažetak

Huntington's disease is a severe, incurable neurological disease characterised by motor, cognitive, and
psychological symptoms. This paper presents the case of a Huntington's disease patient with dissociative
symptoms. Clinical characteristics, genetic background, diagnostics, and guidelines for treating
Huntington's disease are shown in the paper. We emphasised the importance of knowing the genetic basis
and testing the descendants of the patients. We highlighted the difference between behavioural
perseveration as a common psychomotor disorder in these patients and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive
disorders.
Dissociative disorders may occur under extreme mental stress and exhaustion, such as when dealing
with a severe incurable illness. These disorders are not typical psychopathological phenomena for
Huntington's disease, but conditions of hopelessness and despair after facing a severe diagnosis may lead
to dissociative symptoms. Dissociative disorders as indicators of exhaustion of mental functioning require
caution, especially given their high frequency of occurrence with suicidality as extreme exhaustion of
mental functioning.
So far, treatment of Huntington's disease is only symptomatic, emphasising the relaxation of motor
choreatic movements and heterogeneous mental disorders. Antipsychotics that reduce choreatic movements
but also affect psychotic symptoms, behavioural perseverations and mood stabilisation are used primarily
to relieve symptoms.
As it is a progressive disease that ends in severe motor deficit, dementia and death, treating these patients
with a multidisciplinary team that includes neurological, psychiatric and palliative care, physical therapy,
nursing, and social care is necessary. Psychotherapeutic and sociotherapeutic approaches make it easier for
patients and their families to cope with this severe disease. Genetic testing of the offspring is desirable to
determine the potential carrying of the mutated gene and its transmission to subsequent generations in
which the disease appears earlier.

Ključne riječi

Huntington's disease; dissociative amnesia; chorea; antipsychotics; behavioural perseverations

Hrčak ID:

310177

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/310177

Datum izdavanja:

27.11.2023.

Posjeta: 816 *