Case ReportOpen Access

Fortuitous Discovery of a Fahr Syndrome in a Psychiatric Environment

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DOI: 10.23958/ijirms/vol07-i03/1311· Pages: 155 -158· Vol. 7, No. 03, (2022)· Published: March 7, 2022
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Abstract

Fahr syndrome is a rare anatomical and clinical entity characterized by bilateral and symmetrical intracerebral calcifications located in the basal ganglia. It is most often associated with disorders of phosphocalcic metabolism and its symptomatology is very heterogeneous ranging from simple headaches to constituted neuropsychiatric disorders. We report the case of a 42-year-old female patient, followed in a psychiatric department since the age of 30 years for a psychotic symptomatology of schizophrenic appearance and well stabilized 8 treatment. On the occasion of a consultation for a psychotic picture associated with repetitive tonicoclonic convulsions and a confusional note, diffuse calcifications of the lenticular nuclei and the cephalic regions of the head of the caudate nuclei were objectified on cerebral computed tomography (CT) and hypocalcemia on biology. These anatomic-clinical and biological data allowed us to retain the Fahr syndrome. This clinical observation shows the importance of suspecting this syndrome in the presence of an abruptly changing chronic psychiatric picture associated with neurological signs in order to adapt the global management. A correction of the phosphocalcic metabolism disorders often leads to a clear improvement.

Keywords

Fahr syndromepsychotic disordersphosphocalcic metabolismpsychiatry
Author details
Ibra DIAGNE
Health Emergency Operations Center (COUS), Ministry of Health and Social Action (MSAS), Senegal
✉ Corresponding Author
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Maimouna DIEYE
Psychiatrist and Addictologist, Head of Addictology Unit of the National Psychiatric Hospital Center of Thiaroye, Dakar / Senegal
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Khadim SECK
Psychiatrist and Head of Department of the Psychiatry Unit of the National Center for Social Reintegration Imam Assane Cisse, Kaolack / Senegal
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Ndèye Dialé NDIAYE-NDONGO
Psychiatrist, Systemic Psychotherapist. Full Professor in Psychiatry at the Medical Faculty of Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar / Senegal
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Aida Sylla
Psychiatrist, Systemic Psychotherapist. Full Professor in Psychiatry at the Medical Faculty of Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar / Senegal
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