Cotard delusion in a depressed patient: "My throat is missing!"

Abstract

Cotard's syndrome is a rare neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by marked nihilistic delusions. This report describes an Indonesian woman from a small town in Malaysia who was diagnosed with depression and Cotard's delusion. The diagnosis was confirmed after thorough history-taking, clinical examination, and relevant laboratory tests. Herein, we highlight the unique psychopathology of a possible Cotard's syndrome subtype and efficacy of pharmacological combination strategies, rather than monotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy, for its treatment.

Keywords: Cotard delusions; Cotard syndrome; depression; melancholia; neuropsychiatry.