More publications are needed on gs to clarify its nature and investigate its treatment and uncertain prognosis. Malingered intentionally wrong, but often approximate, answers in an apparent effort to simulate psychosis. Gansers syndrome is a rare and controversial condition, whose main and most striking feature is the production of approximate answers or near misses to very simple questions. Ganser syndrome is a rare dissociative disorder characterized by nonsensical or wrong answers to questions and other dissociative symptoms such as fugue, amnesia or conversion disorder, often with visual pseudohallucinations and a decreased state of consciousness.
A 45yearold south african man was admitted to a neurology ward with a left hemiparesis and a 4day history of amnesia and wandering. A case of the ganser syndrome in a 14yearold girl, with three of the four essential features, is presented. First described by sigbert ganser in 1987, ganser syndrome consists in a rare condition, characterized by the following four clinical features. After recovery from gansers syndrome, these cases were followedup for two and five years, respectively. Ganser syndrome is a dissociative disorder that was previously thought to be a factitious disorder, where the patient displays symptoms of a physical or mental illness when no real condition is present.
The past and present nosology of gansers syndrome is discussed. Pdf the ganser syndrome, or talking past the point, originally. The anomaly is defined as the presence of approximate answers with hallucinations, clouded sensorium, somatic conversion, and. The ganser syndrome is rare in children and adolescents. Ganser syndrome is generally considered rare, but estimates of its prevalence depend upon the strictness of the diagnostic criteria used in reporting it haddad, 1993.
Although considered to be essential for the diagnosis, approximate answers were cited as occurring in only 83 88. Physical examination was unremarkable, but a urine toxicology screen was positive for both cannabis and ecstasy. In this case history, which shows the clinical features of the ganser syndrome, there was abundant evidence to support both an organic and an hysterical aetiology. The syndrome is very rare and primarily affects males. However, there have been cases with both hysterical and organic elements. Article pdf available in journal of medical humanities. Case report of ganser syndrome in a 14yearold girl. Questions about its etiology, definition, and classification, as well as its status as a true mental illness versus a specific form of malingering has been the subject of multiple journal articles and book chapters. A factitious disorder, characterised by the individual mimicking behaviour he or she thinks is typical of a psychosis, providing nonsensical or wrong answers to questions, and doing things incorrectly. The diagnosis of ganser syndrome in the practice of. The characteristic symptom of the syndrome, paralogia, is appreciated as an associated feature of factitious disorder with psychological symptoms. The syndrome is not listed in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders,fifth edition dsm5 as it had been in previous editions. It is characterized by nonsensical or wrong answers to questions or doing things incorrectly. Ganser syndrome gansers syndrome, hysterical pseudodementia, nonsense syndrome, prison psychosis, syndrome of approximate answers is a kind of.
Ganser syndrome and lesion in the temporoparietal region ncbi. Ganser s syndrome is a rare and controversial condition, whose main and most striking feature is the production of approximate answers or near misses to very simple questions. It is characterized by nonsensical or wrong answers to questions or doing things incorrectly, other dissociative symptoms such as fugue, amnesia or conversion disorder, often with visual pseudohallucinations and a decreased state of consciousness. Ganser syndrome is a disorder that is extremely rare and also goes by the names pseudodementia, nonsense syndrome, hysterical pseudodementia, syndrome of approximate answers, etc. Ganser syndrome definition of ganser syndrome by medical. Ganser syndrome is a rare dissociative disorder characterized by nonsensical or wrong. Resolution of episode of major depressive disorder with. Ganser syndrome meaning ganser syndrome definition ganser. Webmd explains a rare disorder known as ganser syndrome, in which people mimic the symptoms of serious mental illnesses to draw. Ganser syndrome is a rare type of condition in which a person deliberately and consciously acts as if he or she has a physical or mental illness when he or she is not really sick.
Carcinoid syndrome is caused by excess serotonin and other chemicals that are secreted by tumor cells. Since it is not a common mental illness, not even 100 cases have been reported, according to a case study published by the american academy of child and adolescent. While whitlock 1967 held that the presence of approximate answers is the essential. A personality disorder in which the patient describes dramatic but false symptoms or simulates acute illness, happily undergoing examinations, hospitalization, and diagnostic and therapeutic manipulations, and upon discovery of the real nature of his case often leaves without notice and moves on to another hospital. It is also sometimes called nonsense syndrome, balderdash syndrome, syndrome of approximate answers, pseudodementia, hysterical.
Ideal sources for wikipedia s health content are defined in the guideline wikipedia. Carcinoid syndrome can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to other more common conditions. Ganser symptom complex the features of the syndrome considered were those cited by enoch and trethowan. This report raises the possibility of the ganser syndrome as a manifestation of a. The answers given, however, are usually so close to the question as to reveal that. Gansers syndrome is a rare and controversial entity in psychiatric nosology. We report two cases ofgs, one developing in a 12yearold boy, which had their onset during an episode of mania. Although the formulation of these criteria have been valuable in educating people in the field, their use as a tool has been somewhat limited due to the unclear nature of which criteria are. Whether ganser syndrome is primarily a hysterical or an organic phenomenon has been debated in the literature. It is characterized by the individual mimicking behavior they think is typical of a psychosis. Your doctor may first administer a 24hour urine test or blood test to determine the levels of a metabolite of serotonin called 5hiaa.
Ganser syndrome is a rare dissociative disorder previously classified as a factitious disorder. During admission his consciousness fluctuated, and although extensive investigation revealed no organic cause for his symptoms he was given a course. Ganser syndrome uncountable a rare stressinduced dissociative disorder characterized by giving nonsensical answers to questions. The trip database provides clinical publications about. The syndrome has also been called nonsense syndrome, balderdash syndrome, syndrome of approximate answers, hysterical. Ganser syndrome, trance logic, and the question of malingering. It has been reported in association with various functional psychiatric disorders and organic states, most often. Ganser syndrome gahnser, a psychoticlike condition, without the. Ganser syndrome wiktionary wiktionary, the free dictionary. The anomaly is defined as the presence of approximate answers with hallucinations, clouded sensorium, somatic conversion, and amnesia.
Ganser syndrome and its management volume 151 issue 5 m. Gansers syndrome is a factitious disorder, characterised by the individual mimicking behaviour they think are typical of a psychosis, by providing nonsensical or wrong answers to questions, and doing things incorrectly. Ganzer syndrome definition of ganzer syndrome by medical. Ganser syndrome medical education for undergraduate md. Ganser syndrome, as it is now known, has been the subject of much debate since this original paper.
For instance, asked how many legs a horse has, ganser patients will. Article information, pdf download for the ganser syndrome. After rapid resolution in two weeks, ganser symptoms reappear seven months later accompanied, this second time, by previous depressive symptoms. Ganser syndrome and its management the british journal. Ganser syndrome synonyms, ganser syndrome antonyms. Ganser syndrome and lesion in the temporoparietal region. Learn about gansers syndrome, a type of fictitious disorder. Know the causes, symptoms, treatment and diagnosis of ganser syndrome. The ganser syndrome in two adolescent brothers sciencedirect. A relationship was found between specific premorbid personality traits and severity of the syndrome.
Ganser syndrome ganser syndrome, as it is now known, has been the subject of much debate since this original paper. Ganser syndrome meaning ganser syndrome definition gans. The patient will offer nearly correct replies when asked questions about facts of common knowledge, such as the number of days in a year, the number of months in a year. Using the diagnostic criteria found in the literature, 15 new cases of ganser syndrome were examined. The syndrome has also been called nonsense syndrome, balderdash syndrome, syndrome of approximate. Ganser syndrome article about ganser syndrome by the. Gansers syndrome is usually sudden in onset and, like malingering, seems to arise in response to an opportunity for personal gain or the avoidance of some responsibility. The ganser syndrome is rare in children and in adolescents.
285 635 875 1269 737 362 875 1232 287 927 1115 461 819 980 1232 173 1333 953 1377 202 1321 1276 1369 138 1119 1267 775 917 415 659