Niemann-Pick disease type C1 presenting with psychosis in an adolescent male

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2009 Sep;18(9):583-5. doi: 10.1007/s00787-009-0010-2. Epub 2009 Mar 7.

Abstract

Niemann-Pick disease, a neurovisceral lysosomal lipid storage disorder, is a rare disorder that is unknown to many clinicians. The disease, that often has its onset during childhood or adolescence, shows a polymorphic clinical picture, including psychiatric symptoms. Because of its infrequence, Niemann-Pick disease is diagnosed with an average delay of 6 years. This report presents a case of an adolescent male whose symptoms had led to various hospitalisations and psychiatric diagnoses. When he presented with psychotic symptoms in our department, thorough diagnosis revealed Niemann-Pick disease type C1 as the underlying disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Hallucinations / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C / diagnosis*
  • Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C / psychology
  • Psychotic Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Psychotic Disorders / psychology
  • Schizophrenia, Paranoid / diagnosis
  • Schizophrenia, Paranoid / psychology