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Case Reports
. 2025 Sep 29;19(1):469.
doi: 10.1186/s13256-025-05486-7.

Wilson's disease with psychiatric symptoms: a case report

Nguyen Van Tuan  1   2 , Tran Nguyen Ngoc  3   4 , Nguyen Thuy Hang  1   2 , Tran My Ha  1   2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Wilson's disease with psychiatric symptoms: a case report

Nguyen Van Tuan et al. J Med Case Rep. .

Abstract

Background: Wilson's disease is a copper metabolic disorder defined by the body's accumulation of copper, which inhibits its excretion and initially manifests as liver and neurological symptoms. The patient reported herein showed only psychiatric symptoms and was diagnosed in the latter stages without typical Wilson's disease symptoms. The case underscores the complexity of diagnosing Wilson's disease, emphasizing the significant challenges regarding early detection and treatment efficacy.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 20-year-old Vietnamese male with Wilson's disease. The initial manifestations in the patient reported herein include psychiatric symptoms such as mood fluctuations, anger, irritation, impulsivity, emotional eruptions, weariness, and sleep disorders. The patient exhibited no symptoms of Wilson's disease as documented and was diagnosed solely via DNA sequencing, resulting in serious complications and an unfavorable prognosis.

Conclusions: This case underscores the complexity of Wilson's disease symptoms. Early identification and effective therapy are crucial for enhancing patient outcomes.

Keywords: ATP7B mutation; Case report; Psychiatric symptoms; Wilson’s disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: Our institution does not require ethical approval for reporting individual cases or case series. Consent for publication: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and any accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal. Competing interest: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MRI scan of the brain. A Bilateral cerebral peduncle. B Dorsal surface of the cerebellum. C Lesions of the thalamus
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Muscle stiffness. A Lower limb muscle stiffness. B Upper limb muscle stiffness
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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