Psychiatry is considered one of the most mysterious areas of medicine. After all, mental illness is very difficult to study. Each of them can proceed in different ways, depending on the characteristics of the patient's psyche. Some patients have several mental disorders at once. As in any medical specialization, in psychiatry there are certain symptoms and syndromes, the division into which is necessary for the diagnosis of pathologies. Despite the fact that mental disorders manifest themselves in each in their own way, they have common symptoms. One commonly known disorder is hebephrenic syndrome. It can occur with a pathology such as schizophrenia. Less commonly, this psychopathological syndrome is noted in other diseases. This disorder can be diagnosed after a full examination and observation of the patient. The treatment of this mental disorder is carried out by a psychiatrist.
What is hebephrenic syndrome?
Hebefrenia is a condition in which there is a violation of the thought process and the emotional sphere. The syndrome is characterized by a change in patient behavior . Patients begin to behave like little children: make faces, make faces, run, etc. At the same time, the patient does not perceive comments from other people (parents, doctors), can be aggressive. Hebephrenic syndrome is almost always manifested in malignant schizophrenia. However, earlier this symptom was identified as an independent pathology. From Greek, the syndrome translates as "youth of the mind." It is understood that with hebephrenia, a person again falls into childhood. However, unlike a child, the patient becomes completely uncontrollable. To reassure the patient, one has to resort to antipsychotic drugs. In addition to behavioral disorders, facial muscle contractions are noted. This symptom is associated with neurological changes observed in the disease.
Historical Description of Hebephrenic Syndrome
The syndrome was first described by the scientist Haecker in 1871. At this time, hebephrenia was not yet attributed to forms of schizophrenia. She stood out as a separate mental disorder. Haecker called this syndrome hebephrenic paraphrenia. The term means that patients had delusions of grandeur with signs of a transition to children's behavior. A description of this syndrome was published in France in 1895.
Kraepelin later found similarities between hebephrenic paraphrenia and another psychopathological syndrome called démence précoce. The latter means one of the forms of dementia described by Morel. Later, a syndrome such as demetia praecox was isolated. Translated from the Latin language, it means "early or premature dementia." This psychopathological syndrome has become synonymous with hebephrenic disorder. In 1898, Kraepelin attributed premature dementia to the group of endogenous diseases leading to mental disorders. Among these pathological processes, catatonia, hebephrenia and paranoid thinking were distinguished. Later, each of these disorders began to be considered as a separate form of schizophrenia.
Features of hebephrenic syndrome
The main feature of hebephrenia syndrome is its early onset. This pathological condition begins to manifest itself in adolescence. Less often, it manifests in young people under 25 years old. Another feature of the syndrome is its malignant course. This mental disorder is constantly progressing, therefore, after 2-3 years, constant patient care and the use of strong drugs - antipsychotics are required.
Hebephrenic syndrome is more common among the male population. The average age at which the first symptoms occur is 14–16 years. The pathological process proceeds almost always continuously. Periods of prolonged remission and seizures for this disorder are not characteristic.
Causes of Hebephrenia
In most cases, hebephrenia syndrome is a sign of schizophrenia. This is a special form of this pathology, which is characterized by the early onset and rapid development of severe mental disorders. Hebephrenic schizophrenia is difficult to treat. The reasons for the development of this syndrome include:
- Genetic predisposition to the disease. The likelihood of developing hebephrenia is higher in people who have a burdened hereditary history of mental pathologies.
- Disorder of neurotransmitter systems.
- Psychogenic factors. These include not only stressful effects during childhood and adolescence, but also effects on the mother during pregnancy.
Hebephrenia syndrome is rarely observed in organic brain lesions due to atrophic processes, tumors and head injuries. There have also been cases of the development of premature dementia in toxic and reactive psychoses, epilepsy.
Signs of hebephrenic syndrome
Hebephrenia syndrome develops suddenly, it is characterized by the appearance of artsy actions, profanity, and euphoria. This mental disorder more often occurs in children, characterized by nervousness, isolation, laziness and other psychopathic personality traits. The classic signs of hebephrenic syndrome are:
- Unproductive euphoria - a condition characterized by an increased mood background.
- Contraction of facial muscles leads to constant grimacing.
- Motivational actions are actions not related to impulsive behavior or delusional motives.
Patients suffering from hebephrenia, come to life when showing attention to their person. They begin to demonstrate antisocial actions, mannerisms. Due to hypersexuality, patients are prone to exhibitionism, masturbation. Patients have increased appetite, broken thinking, cheerful mood.
Diagnosis of hebephrenia syndrome
Diagnosis of hebephrenia is based on an objective history (interrogation of the patient's relatives) and observation of the patient for a long time. This mild disorder can be confused with psychopathy and neurosis. To correctly diagnose, the patient must be in the hospital for at least 2 months. The disease is characterized by: cheerful mood, foolishness and fragmentation of thinking. Sometimes a combination of hebephrenic syndrome with signs of catatonia, hallucinations is noted. The combination of these syndromes indicates malignant schizophrenia. To exclude atrophic and oncological pathologies of the brain, EEG, computed and magnetic resonance imaging are performed.
Hebephrenic syndrome treatment
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely get rid of the symptoms of hebephrenia. Treatment is necessary to control the patient’s behavior, as well as to avoid dangerous consequences for the health of the patient and others. The main group of drugs used to relieve hebephrenia are considered antipsychotics. These include medicines "Aminazin", "Risperidone", "Haloperidol." Also, tranquilizers and the drug “Lithium carbonate” are used for treatment.
Prognosis for hebephrenic syndrome
The prognosis for hebephrenia syndrome depends on the course of the disease and the severity of symptoms. The established diagnosis of malignant schizophrenia is considered an indication for the assignment of the 1st or 2nd disability group. Patients with hebephrenic syndrome need constant care and periodic hospitalization to monitor treatment.