Merck Manual

Please confirm that you are a health care professional

honeypot link

Psychotic Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition

By

Carol Tamminga

, MD, UT Southwestern Medical Dallas

Reviewed/Revised Apr 2022 | Modified Sep 2022
View PATIENT EDUCATION

Psychotic disorder due to another medical condition is characterized by hallucinations or delusions that are caused by another medical disorder.

Psychosis refers to symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and speech, and bizarre and inappropriate motor behavior (including catatonia) that indicate loss of contact with reality.

This diagnosis applies when psychosis is due to the physiologic effects of a medical condition. Examples are psychotic behavior or olfactory hallucinations that are sometimes associated with temporal lobe epilepsy and the contralateral neglect syndrome that is sometimes caused by parietal lobe lesions.

It is essential to establish a temporal relationship between the medical and psychotic condition (ie, they begin and end at the same time).

Treating the medical condition often reduces the severity of psychotic symptoms, but some patients also need specific treatment for the psychotic symptoms.

View PATIENT EDUCATION
NOTE: This is the Professional Version. CONSUMERS: View Consumer Version
quiz link

Test your knowledge

Take a Quiz! 
iOS ANDROID
iOS ANDROID
iOS ANDROID
TOP