Thought to have a mental illness, it turned out to be a brain tumor.

Ho Chi Minh City – A 48-year-old woman exhibiting symptoms of mental illness, after seeking treatment at numerous places and taking antipsychotic medication without improvement, was found by doctors at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital to have a large brain tumor.

On January 15th, Dr. Le The Dang, Deputy Head of the Neurosurgery Department at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital, stated that the brain tumor was large, compressing and adhering to many important blood vessel structures, posing significant challenges for the surgical team.

After surgery, the patient was alert, had improved cognitive function, spoke fluently, and had more flexible limb movements, and was able to walk independently with assistance.

Six months ago, she spoke little to people, locked herself in her room, frequently skipped meals, gradually became emaciated, and had great difficulty walking.

Doctors at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital perform brain surgery. Photo: Provided by the hospital.

According to Dr. Dang, organic mental disorders are not uncommon today. These disorders are directly related to brain damage, stemming from brain diseases (brain tumors, encephalitis, degeneration, etc.) or diseases outside the brain (internal medicine, endocrine disorders, infections, poisoning, metabolic disorders, etc.), affecting brain function.

A common characteristic of these disorders is that they resemble those of mental illness. Therefore, the primary focus should be on treating the underlying cause of the mental disorder, helping patients return to their daily lives and avoiding the side effects of prolonged antipsychotic medication use.

Le Phuong

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/tuong-mac-benh-tam-than-hoa-u-nao-4700999.html