tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post2703457709746938032..comments2024-03-22T00:30:09.536-07:00Comments on The Neurocritic: Capgras for Cats and CanariesThe Neurocritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-43752262885520492702015-06-04T10:40:52.093-07:002015-06-04T10:40:52.093-07:00Thanks for your comments.
megkershaw - The dopam...Thanks for your comments. <br /><br />megkershaw - The dopamine hypothesis is an intriguing idea, but acetylcholine neurons also degenerate in Lewy body dementia, as you noted. In <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25566416" rel="nofollow">one case study</a>, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donepezil" rel="nofollow">donepezil</a> improved Capras symptoms in a patient with LBD. In terms of the pattern of degeneration, one recent structural MRI study implicated posterior cortical regions of the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3900597/" rel="nofollow">dorsal visual network</a>. The face recognition system (including fusiform gyrus) seems to be intact, but disconnected from limbic regions. This leads to the interesting relationship between Capgras syndrome and prosopagnosia.<br /><br />Nicole - Capgas syndrome and prosopagnosia can be seen as mirror images of each other. The figure at the bottom of the post illustrates different types of "disconnection syndromes" are associated with each. In prosopagnosia, the face recognition system is damaged, but there is still some covert or "unconscious" recognition of loved ones measured via skin conductance (sweaty palms). Conversely, individuals with Capras recognize their spouse, but have no emotional reaction. Therefore, they construct a story that the spouse must be an impostor.The Neurocritichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-17796345083876817702015-06-01T19:05:12.259-07:002015-06-01T19:05:12.259-07:00Reading this article made me wonder about the diff...Reading this article made me wonder about the differences in Capgras syndrome and prosopagnosia. While Capgras syndrome isn't the same thing as face blindness or prosopagnosia, it would seem that there are similarities because they both deal with confusion as a result of not recognizing something that is very familiar to you. Capgras is delusional misidentification but prosopagnosia is when you don't recognize someone you know. However, since they both deal with visual recognition and distinction it seems as though the problem may stem from the same area of the brain or the same type of malfunctioning mechanism.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510307461073942373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-59940667935422302372015-06-01T17:30:44.857-07:002015-06-01T17:30:44.857-07:00I found Josephs idea about dopamine dysfunction to...I found Josephs idea about dopamine dysfunction to be rather interesting for a common explanation for Capgras syndrome. It is very common for patients how have dementia due to degeneration with Lewy bodies and the degeneration of neurons containing dopamine and acetylcholine specifically in connection with Parkinson’s disease, that the patients develop forms of dementia. Yes, it is common for dementia patients to dissociate and often do not see an individual as who they really are when they are in a confused state. I work in a hospital and it is very common to have a PD patient who think that I am their daughter or sister not his caregiver, when corrected I am an imposter and the reactions can be varied. I think that Joseph might be touching at an idea or a cause of the illusion but I think it has more to do with the visual recognition areas of the brain. The fusiform gyrus responds the strongest to faces than any other part of the brain. It makes sense then that somehow Capgras syndrome would be connected to this area somehow. It is also connected with recognizing animals, cars, ect. Damage to the fusiform gyrus damages that expertise. There are many different ideas and theories. I think that there could be multiple factors that could contribute to Capgras syndrome and the severity of it, including whether or not it is present in a patient who has dementia or not. megkershawnoreply@blogger.com