Xiaobing Jiang1, Yinsheng Chen1, Zhihuan Zhou1, Liping Luo1, Wanming Hu2, Huirong Zheng3, Zhe Zhu4, Jian Wang5, Zhongping Chen6. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. 2. Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. 3. Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Affiliated School of Medicine of South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China. 4. Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA. 5. Department of Neurosurgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: wangjian2@sysucc.org.cnl. 6. Department of Neurosurgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: chenzhp@sysucc.org.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The pineal gland has been demonstrated to be involved in the development of mood and psychotic disorders. However, few studies have looked at the relationship between pineal region tumors and psychiatric disorders. Intracranial epidermoid cysts usually arise in the cerebellopontine angle area and are extremely rare in the pineal region. The case of pineal epidermoid cyst presenting as schizophrenia has never been reported before. CASE PRESENTATION: We described the case of a 23-year-old man who presented to the hospital with symptoms suggestive of schizophrenia. During work-up, he was found to have a pineal lesion on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Total resection of the tumor was subsequently performed, and pathology confirmed an epidermoid cyst. One month after surgery, the patient's psychotic symptoms significantly improved free of drug and fully returned to work 3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the importance of including mass lesions of the pineal region in the differential diagnosis of psychotic disorders. It also provides further support that the pineal region may play a role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric diseases, although more studies will be needed to elucidate this interesting connection.
BACKGROUND: The pineal gland has been demonstrated to be involved in the development of mood and psychotic disorders. However, few studies have looked at the relationship between pineal region tumors and psychiatric disorders. Intracranial epidermoid cysts usually arise in the cerebellopontine angle area and are extremely rare in the pineal region. The case of pineal epidermoid cyst presenting as schizophrenia has never been reported before. CASE PRESENTATION: We described the case of a 23-year-old man who presented to the hospital with symptoms suggestive of schizophrenia. During work-up, he was found to have a pineal lesion on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Total resection of the tumor was subsequently performed, and pathology confirmed an epidermoid cyst. One month after surgery, the patient's psychotic symptoms significantly improved free of drug and fully returned to work 3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the importance of including mass lesions of the pineal region in the differential diagnosis of psychotic disorders. It also provides further support that the pineal region may play a role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric diseases, although more studies will be needed to elucidate this interesting connection.