Chronic late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis that remitted: Revisiting Newton's psychosis?

According to historical records, Sir Isaac Newton developed new-onset psych osis at age 51, which was characterized by persecutory delusions. His psych otic symptoms remitted in less than 18 months, brit their etiology has sinc e remained a puzzle. The present case conference involves a present-day ind ividual with late-onset paranoid psychosis with later remission, which has some interesting similarities To, as well as important differences from, Ne wton's illness. Our patient had no history of psychiatric illness until age 52, when he developed paranoid delusions. which included thought broadcast ing, auditory hallucinations. blunted affect, and poor insight. His early m edical history runs remarkable for grand mal seizures between ages 15 and 2 9. His psychosis improved with the rise of antipsychotic medication. Approx imately 6 years after its onset, his psychotic illness remitted, and all ps ychotropic medications were discontinued. Forts years Inter, at the writing of this report, our Patient continued to function independently with no ps ychiatric symptoms. We discuss the differential diagnosis for this chronic late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis with remission.