PSYCHIATRIC MANIFESTATIONS DUE TO A FRONTAL MENINGIOMA. A CASE REPORT.

Περίληψη

Introduction: Meningiomas are the most frequent primary tumors of the central nervous system. Although benign brain tumors generally cause focal neurological signs, meningiomas of the frontal lobes can grow for many years causing only psychiatric symptoms, such as gradual personality and neurocognitive changes. Case presentation: We describe the case of a woman who was admitted to our department due to visual hallucinations and disorganized behavior. During the last 4-5 years before her admission, the patient had been manifesting gradual personality changes and neurocognitive defects that had deteriorated significantly the last few months before her hospitalization. She refused to see a doctor and her situation kept deteriorating until her admission. The neuroradiologic examinations revealed a large frontal meningioma to which the aforementioned manifestations were attributed. Later, she was operated and her symptoms subsided completely. Conclusion: High clinical suspicion is warranted in patients over age 50 with personality changes, atypical manifestations of a psychiatric disorder, or those who do not respond to the usual treatment, especially if they have no known prior mental illness, in order to exclude any secondary, treatable condition.