RESEARCH ARTICLE
A Schizophrenia-Like Psychotic Disorder Secondary to an Arachnoid Cyst Remitted with Neurosurgical Treatment of the Cyst
G.A. Baquero, P. Molero, J. Pla, F. Ortuño*
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2014Volume: 8
First Page: 1
Last Page: 4
Publisher ID: TONIJ-8-1
DOI: 10.2174/1874440001408010001
Article History:
Received Date: 23/11/2013Revision Received Date: 31/1/2014
Acceptance Date: 22/2/2014
Electronic publication date: 21/2/2014
Collection year: 2014

open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Abstract
We describe a case of delusional psychosis that was terminated by neurosurgical removal of a large arachnoid cyst. The patient was suffering his first psychotic episode and had symptoms typical of schizophrenia.
The case underscores the importance of considering that an arachnoid cyst can induce psychopathological symptoms, even those of schizophrenia. Indeed, such symptoms may be the cyst's only clinical manifestation.
In addition, the case highlights the importance of doing a structural imaging test when confronted with a first episode of psychosis, especially if the episode is relatively late in appearance. Such imaging may lead to a diagnosis that in turn can enable a definitive neurosurgical resolution of the psychosis.