Abstract
Objective: Psychiatric symptoms may be the first and dominating clinical manifestation of intracranial tumors in older age. The aim of our study was to investigate the typical psychiatric symptoms of intracranial tumors in psychogeriatric patients which should definitely indicate neuroimaging.
Material and method: We performed retrospective analysis of medical records of patients admitted to the psychogeriatric department of Psychiatric hospital in Dobrany due to symptoms of intracranial tumors in 2012-2014. Case reports are presented.
Results: In a three-years period 1520 patients were admitted, 6 of them (0,4 %) (4 women, 2 men) due to symptoms of intracranial tumors. There were: psychiatric and behavioral disturbances and delirium after neurosurgery, in inoperable tumors and in newly diagnosed tumors.
These common symptoms are found as first manifestation of intracranial tumors in our patients: fluctuation of symptoms, rapidly progressive cognitive decline, delirium, depression, anxiety, atypical psychotic symptoms, weight changes, sleep disturbances, vertigo and gate disturbances. Conclusion: Neuroimaging (CT and/or MRI scan) is an important part of differential diagnosis of dementia, especially atypical type with rapid progression.
Neuroimaging should be also considered in psychogeriatric patients with new-onset or atypical psychosis and affective disorders, personality and behavior changes and anorexia.