Syndrome de Capgras: Perspectives ouvertes par la neuropsychologie cognitive

Abstract

To examine the way in which certain concepts regarding the physiopathology of Capgras' syndrome (1) have been tested neuropsychologically. Data consist of approximately 30 studies selected for their relevance to the cerebral stages of face processing in patients with schizophrenia, patients with Capgras' syndrome and normal subjects. Study of this work shows: a) that with respect to patients, authors have focused on the stage of treatment corresponding to the facial recognition phase per se; b) but that it is also possible to study the phase corresponding to knowledge and beliefs relative to individuals and to evaluate the existence of the cleavage proposed by numerous psychodynamicians. Views from the field of neuropsychology, like those from the field of psychodynamics, can therefore be tested. By offering a means of developing testable predictions in experimental protocols, cognitive neuropsychology methods will, in short, make it possible to reject erroneous concepts and demonstrate accurate ones. Limited here to the example of Capgras' syndrome, we advocate that the same methods be applied to Capgras' syndrome as to each symptom of schizophrenia.