Capgras syndrome in adolescence

Abstract

Capgras syndrome, the delusion of substitution, has rarely been reported in adolescents. The etiology is unknown, and intense controversy surrounds the debate over the relative importance of biological versus psychological factors. Presented here are two cases of Capgras syndrome in adolescents and a review of the relevant biological, neuropsychological, and psychodynamic literature. The authors suggest that the psychological processes underlying the Capgras delusion are mediated by neuroanatomical connections between various brain areas and hypothesize that the fundamental lesion in Capgras syndrome may be the patient's inability or failure to acknowledge the authenticity of a person they clearly recognize.