Psychosis: a rare onset symptom of pediatric multiple sclerosis

ABSTRACT

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but it is rarely associated with psychosis as the initial manifestation. Fourteen-year-old boy admitted with auditory hallucinations. His neurological examination was normal. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed multiple demyelinating lesions in the mesencephalon and periventricular regions. His IgG index was high and the oligoclonal band was positive. MS was diagnosed and pulsed corticosteroids were given and his psychotic symptoms regressed. After 22months, the patient presented with hemi-hypoesthesia, and repeated MRI showed new contrast enhancing lesion detected. His complaints completely resolved with pulse corticosteroid therapy. Increasing morbidity due to delay in MS treatment underlines the need to consider MS in the differential diagnosis of pediatric cases presenting with psychosis. 

KEYWORDS:

• Childhood
• multiple sclerosis
• psychosis
• adolescent
• neuropsychiatry

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Deniz Menderes for editing the manuscript.

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Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.