Folie à Deux – A Clinical Case of Folie Imposée in a Mother/Child Relationship

Abstract

Background: Even though the origin of the concept of shared delusion is not consensual, the term folie a deux was introduced in 1877 by two french researchers – Lasègue and Falret. According to the original concept, a person (inductor), cognitively dominant, develops a delusional idea that progressively imposes to a second person (induced), with whom he keeps a close relationship. The four psychopathologic subtypes known – folie imposée, folie simultanée, folie communiquée and folie induite, were described in the final of the XIX century, but its classification and conceptualization was assigned to the american researcher Gralnick (1942). Aim, materials and methods: It is intended to highlight some clinical aspects of the shared delusion disorder, its epidemiological and psycopathogenic characterization and therapeutical approach. In order to achieve it, the authors presented a clinical case report and respective non systematic literature review. Results: It is a case of shared delusion of the type folie imposée in a pair mother/son. The inductor (son) suffers from bipolar disorder and asperger syndrome and shared with his mother (induced and carer) a persecutory delusion. Conclusions: It is highlighted the importance of a social isolation context and close contact between both members in the genesis of the disease; it is discussed the subject of the cognitive dominance between the inductor and the induced and the implications of the separation of the pair mother/son, as primary therapeutic action.