Somatoparaphrenia

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Somatoparaphrenia is a type of monothematic delusion where one denies ownership of a limb or an entire side of one's body. As an example, a patient would believe that her or his own arm would belong to the doctor, or that another patient left it behind.

Contents 1 Causes 2 Somatoparaphrenia in popular culture 3 See also 4 References

[edit] Causes

It is believed that this disorder is caused by parietal or biparietal strokes.

[edit] Somatoparaphrenia in popular culture

In the fourth episode of the first (and only) season of the short-lived medical drama 3 lbs, a veteran who has suffered a stroke claims his left arm belongs to another soldier, who died. On the show, the condition is misdiagnosed as anosognosia, denial of one's sickness.

In the fifth episode of the fourth season of Grey's anatomy, a man suffering from somatoparaphrenia, misdiagnosed as body dysmorphic disorder, wants the doctors to amputate his foot because it does not belong to him.

[edit] See also

• Monothematic delusion
• Body Integrity Identity Disorder

[edit] References

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=817