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Diogenes syndrome and autistic spectrum disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Matthew Sadlier ,
Colm Cooney ,
Eimer Philbin-Bowman  and
Aideen Lewis
Matthew Sadlier
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4
Colm Cooney
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Carew House, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
Eimer Philbin-Bowman
Affiliation:
Dublin Well Woman Centre, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Aideen Lewis
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Carew House, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
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Abstract

Diogenes syndrome or senile squalor syndrome has been described in the psychiatric literature with an associated mental illness in between one half and two thirds of the cases cited. The occurrence of the syndrome in the absence of a psychiatric disorder has received much attention with many hypotheses proposed. We present the case of a 72-year-old man living for many years in domestic squalor whose presentation, neuropsychological profile and history suggest an underlying autistic spectrum disorder. We are not aware of any similar case in an older adult reported in the medical literature. The co-occurrence of these two conditions is an intriguing one as certain key features of autistic spectrum disorder may predispose to Diogenes syndrome.

Keywords

Diogenes syndromeAutistic spectrum disorderSenile squalor syndrome
Type
Case reports
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , December 2011 , pp. 224 - 226
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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