Delirium and hallucinations in depression: cultural aspects
Author: Louiz H, Ben Nasr S, Salhi JE, Ghaoui S, Ben Hadj Ali B.
Source:
L'Encephale, 25, 22-25.
Study of depression in North-Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa has shown that, since
the seventies, the clinical expression of depression is markedly different from
that of depression in the West. Several authors have noted the rareness of guilt
themes and the frequency of persecution themes and somatic complaints in
depressed Africans, even those living in the West. More recent studies have shown
an evolution in depressive symptoms in North-Africa with an increase in guilt and
a decrease in persecution and somatic complaints. This shift in symptoms brings
the expression of depression closer to that observed in the West. Our study
addresses delusional depression: in 73 cases of delusional depression, delusions
of guilt were present in 31% of cases, persecution in 48% and hallucinations in
31.5%. A comparison of the sub-groups consulting in 1991 and a second sub-group
consulting in 1998 shows a marked increase in guilt (23.5 versus 39%).