Visual hallucinations in consultation-liaison neuropsychiatry.

Abstract

In consultation-liaison settings, neuropsychiatrists are commonly asked to assess patients with hallucinatory syndromes and to differentiate 'functional' from 'organic' psychotic presentations. The occurrence and management of visual hallucinations (VH) in healthy individuals, lesion states, neurodegenerative disorders, intoxication/withdrawal states and delirium are reviewed. The presence of VH has been shown to predict a secondary rather than primary psychotic illness and an understanding of the neurobiology of the visual system - including how and where underlying neurotransmitter systems interact in visual processing and how perturbations can result in VH - allows for appropriate clinical assessment and management.