Othello Syndrome Secondary to Ropinirole: A Case Study

Kakali Pal,Joseph Hayes,Apu Chakraborty,Abigail Smith

doi:10.1155/2012/353021

Abstract

This case report describes a forty-two-year-old man with no previous psychiatric history who developed delusional jealousy (Othello Syndrome) associated with ropinirole treatment. Ropinirole is a commonly used dopamine receptor agonist, which was being used to treat his Parkinson's disease, and his delusional symptoms resolved entirely with ropinirole dose reduction.

Highlights

The name Othello syndrome was first coined in 1954 [1] after the lead in Shakespeare’s play Othello
Perhaps more appropriately termed morbid or delusional jealousy, the presentation is rare in its pure form and is more commonly associated with personality disorder, chronic mental illness, substance misuse, and organic brain lesions [3]
A forty-two-year-old Kosovan man presented with a twoweek history of delusional beliefs that his wife was having an affair. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease three years previously, but had no past psychiatric history. His presentation was consistent with a diagnosis of Othello syndrome, which is characterised by intense delusional beliefs of infidelity by the patient’s spouse or sexual partner [3]

Summary

Introduction

The name Othello syndrome was first coined in 1954 [1] after the lead in Shakespeare’s play Othello. His presentation was consistent with a diagnosis of Othello syndrome, which is characterised by intense delusional beliefs of infidelity by the patient’s spouse or sexual partner [3] In this case the patient developed delusions of reference, which led him to believe that his wife was being unfaithful; he reported that images of fruit displayed on his wife’s social network page signalled that she was having an affair. Rather than introducing antipsychotic medication at this stage, his ropinirole dose was reduced to 6 milligrams three times a day at appropriate intervals His mental state subsequently improved over a period of six weeks, and a complete resolution of symptoms allowed discharge back to community.

Discussion

Conclusion