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Matricide, followed by cannibalism and self-mutilation of penis and hand in a schizophrenic patient motivated by religious delusions

INTRODUCTION: Self-mutilation in psychiatric patients is primarily associated with schizophrenic or toxic psychoses and may be related to religious delusion, impulsivity, substance abuse or other psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions. METHOD: We report the case of a twenty-two-year-old who, motivated by religious delusion, committed matricide, followed by cannibalization and mutilation of the penis and right hand in his first psychotic episode. RESULTS: Reports of mutilation of genitals and eyes in schizophrenic patients are found in medical literature; however, there are few cases where such acts were committed in the first psychotic episode. Matricide is generally less common than patricide, and the offender is usually the male son. CONCLUSION: This is a case that is severe, complex, and possibly the first case described in the literature of matricide followed by cannibalism and mutilation of the penis and hand.

Schizophrenia; cannibalism; self-mutilation; matricide


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