In general psychiatric practice, this syndrome is characterized as a disorder associated with the general mental helplessness of the patient. He has a decrease in intelligence, impaired memory, quick wit. For the first time this term was proposed by a psychiatrist from Switzerland E. Blair.
Causes of the disease
Psycho-organic syndrome can be diagnosed in representatives of any population groups. However, most often the elderly suffer from this disorder, who are less able to adapt. Many different factors can provoke this violation. Among the most common causes, doctors usually distinguish the following:
- Various diseases that are atrophic in nature - for example, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's.
- Pathologies that affect the circulatory system - atherosclerosis, high blood pressure.
- Infections - both brain and general. For example, neurosyphilis or encephalitis lead to irreversible changes in the brain tissue.
- Oncology of the brain.
- Head injuries.
- Bouts of epilepsy.
- Intoxication due to drugs or stimulants.
- Violations of the endocrine system.
In this case, the psycho-organic syndrome can be both a residual disorder and the consequence of the transfer of a particular pathology of the central nervous system.
Symptoms
This syndrome is represented by disorders of three types, which are otherwise often called the Walter - Buel triad. It:
- Violations in the work of memory (a person begins to suffer from amnesia or, on the contrary, remembers too much, cannot get rid of unnecessary information).
- Violations of the intellect (the level of generalization, the ability for specific thinking, comprehension is significantly reduced).
- Problems in terms of emotions (there may be a reduced emotional background or, conversely, an euphoria attack; the patient is emotionally labile, shows weak-heartedness or emotional rudeness).
In this case, the severity of the manifestations of the psycho-organic syndrome can vary. The initial manifestations are pseudoneurosis in the form of asthenic symptoms, as well as personality disorders (aggravation or, on the contrary, a complete leveling of personality traits). The most serious symptoms are a picture of total dementia.
Psychoorganic syndrome: its manifestations and diagnostic value in practice
Depending on the stage, the syndrome can manifest itself in different ways. In the early stages, the disease may be accompanied by symptoms characteristic of other diseases, which complicates the diagnosis process. Sometimes the process of correctly making a conclusion due to these manifestations is complicated at times; doctors make the wrong diagnosis, in reality, the patient suffers from a psycho-organic syndrome. The ICD-10 lists the following symptoms of the disease at the initial stage:
- constant thirst, accompanied by migraine attacks;
- impaired appetite;
- sensitivity to weather changes - meteorological dependence;
- Dizziness
- failures in sleep mode;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Along with these symptoms, the Walter - Buel triad is also observed. If the patient has memory impairment, then this will be noticeable at all stages of the disease. A person has problems both with the reproduction of information and with remembering. Also, the patient is difficult to navigate in space and time. Ultimately, difficulties are observed in orientation in the self.
Intellectual impairment
A pronounced psycho-organic syndrome manifests itself in disorders in the field of intelligence:
- The patient loses the ability to learn the simplest, most basic things. In most cases, this refers to information new to him, with which he was previously not familiar. At the same time, the knowledge gained in the past remains intact.
- Speech Disorders. Vocabulary is gradually becoming increasingly scarce, the patient uses template words and phrases.
Emotional disturbance
In the realm of emotions, the symptoms of the disease will be as follows:
- Rapid mental exhaustion of the patient.
- Loss of will or its significant weakening.
- The patient is unable to restrain his impulses - for example, an attack of anger or joy.
- Depending on individual characteristics, depressive states, delusions, hallucinations can also be observed.
Options for the development of the disease
In the initial stages, anxious suspiciousness, mild irritability may be observed. In the future, these symptoms are gradually leveled. They seem to “dissolve” in the growing decline in intellectual abilities, memory, and empathy. The syndrome can develop in one of four scenarios:
- Asthenic option. At this stage, patients experience rapid physical and mental exhaustion. A person becomes very irritable, he is unstable in the manifestation of his emotions. Not even the most insignificant stimulus of the external environment - sound, smell - it can react painfully. This scenario assumes minor changes in the field of intelligence; only slight memory impairment can be observed.
- Explosive psycho-organic syndrome is the next stage of the disease. It is a combination of emotional excitability (aggression, irritability), moderate memory impairment, impaired adaptation to the external environment. Patients also have a weakening of will, self-control. The patient becomes very impressionable, sometimes hysterical conditions are observed. Often at this stage, alcohol abuse can be observed. In patients, the general condition worsens. Overvalued ideas may arise.
- Euphoric and apathetic scenarios. Patients show complete failure in the intellectual sense. There are impaired memory, the ability to remember current events. Both scenarios can be regarded as varieties of dementia. As for the euphoric option, there is an increase in mood, a state of complacency and goodwill are not uncommon. However, they can alternate sharply with bouts of aggressiveness, irritation. The patient can become tearful and helpless.
Features of the apathetic option
As for the apathetic scenario, here the patient behaves stupidly, he does not have spontaneity. The circle of his interests is sharply narrowing; he becomes indifferent to others and to himself. The patient is not able to switch from one topic of conversation to another, but it often happens and vice versa - he slides from the topic under discussion to an outsider.
Sometimes an apathetic scenario may resemble the final stage of schizophrenia. Only a doctor makes the correct diagnosis, analyzing in detail all the symptoms of the disease. In particular, attention should be paid to violent attacks of crying or laughter, which are not characteristic of schizophrenia.
Acute and chronic course
During the psycho-organic syndrome, the ICD distinguishes two more variants of the disease - chronic and acute. As for the latter, it is characterized by a sudden manifestation. An acute condition can last from a few days to several weeks. In the future, relapses that turn into a chronic course are not excluded.
As for the chronic syndrome, here the symptoms can be often subtle. The disease is characterized by a different course, and its symptoms largely depend on the characteristics of the previous disease.
- For example, with Peak's disease or Huntington's chorea, the syndrome progresses and quickly leads to dementia.
- In case of a disease resulting from a traumatic brain injury, the course of the disease is as close to stationary as possible.
- When benign tumors occur, remissions are often possible.
Manifestations of the syndrome in childhood
The disease is extremely rare in children. However, according to the ICD-10 classification, its manifestations differ significantly from those observed in adult patients. This is due to the fact that most of the mental functions are not yet fully developed. Depending on age, the symptoms of the disease in children can vary significantly.
In young children, there may be a delay in the development of speech. It is difficult for children to remember new words. Unstable mood, as well as sleep disturbances should attract attention. Fussiness is sometimes observed.
As for patients of preschool age, there may be violations associated with the emotional-volitional sphere. The behavior of the child is characterized by importunity, impulsivity. Fine motor skills suffer, the inability of the child to concentrate is visible.
Children of school age may experience cognitive impairment. In addition, increased self-criticism, as well as impulsivity, should pay attention to themselves.
Therapy
As such, a specific treatment for the psycho-organic syndrome does not exist. Therapy is primarily aimed at eliminating the root causes that caused the syndrome. Despite the huge selection of psychotropic drugs on the market, there is no specific treatment for this disease. A psychiatrist can only prescribe supportive therapy, depending on the severity of the accompanying symptoms. Treatment can be carried out in a hospital or on an outpatient basis, depending on the severity of the manifestations of the disease. The appointment of vitamins, nootropics has a positive effect. Often, psychiatrists prescribe such patients "Piracetam", "Cortexin", "Pantogam" and other similar drugs.
It should be noted that only a qualified specialist has the right to engage in diagnosis and treatment. You should contact a psychiatrist, neuropsychiatrist or local GP if you suspect a psycho-organic syndrome. Psychiatry is an area where it is better not to delay treatment. A timely visit to a doctor will help to avoid unpleasant consequences.