Nurturing syndrome: a form of pathological bereavement with delusions in Alzheimer's disease

We report the history and neuroimaging profile of two patients, CS and KC w ho developed an unusual bereavement reaction with delusions following the d eaths of their husbands. Their neuropsychological profiles met criteria for dementia of Alzheimer type. The delusions about their husbands' existence were persistent despite a considerable passage of time after their deaths. SPECT investigation showed reduction of blood flow in the frontal area in b oth patients when compared with demented controls and in particular a signi ficant reduction in perfusion was observed in the right frontal regions. We argue that this significant reduction of blood flow in the right frontal a rea, in the context of severe cognitive deterioration, might be responsible for their delusional reaction to bereavement which we interpret as result of reality monitoring and episodic memory failure. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.