Werner's syndrome (adult progeria): An affected mother and son presenting with resistant psychosis

Age-related psychotic conditions may be studied by focusing on the unique g roup of progeroid syndromes. This report will focus on Werner's syndrome, o ne of the better defined and studied progeroid syndromes. We applied clinic al and histophysiological evaluations to two patients, a mother and son, su ffering from Werner's syndrome. Both patients presented with resistant psyc hosis and evidence of impaired cellular repair mechanisms. Psychiatric morb idity in Werner's syndrome is rarely reported. This syndrome can serve as a possible model for aging-associated development of psychosis. Copyright (C ) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.