Objective: The objective is to present a rare case of sub-acute form of Marchiafava-Bignami disease presenting with psychosis, minimal cognitive impairment and no clinical neurological signs. Methods: This is a case report of a patient with Marchiafava-Bignami disease presenting to a tertiary care psychiatric hospital in Singapore. A review of the literature of the condition is also presented. Results: The patient presented with prominent psychotic symptoms in the context of chronic alcohol abuse. He also had minimal cognitive impairment and clinically no neurological signs. A working diagnosis of alcohol induced psychotic disorder was made. His psychotic symptoms seemed to be resistant to treatment with antipsychotic medications initially and this led to further investigation by MRI scan of brain which revealed atrophy of corpus callosum and no other significant abnormalities. His psychotic symptoms gradually improved with treatment. He is now placed in an intermediate care setting in the hospital while waiting for a suitable community placement. Conclusions: It is rare for Marchiafava-Bignami disease to present with prominent psychotic symptoms with minimal cognitive impairment and no neurological signs clinically. In patients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse presenting with psychotic disorder, Marchiafava-Bignami disease should be suspected as a diagnostic possibility.

INTRODUCTION: In a subset of adults with non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnias, clinical variants might be violent in nature and can potentially result in unintentional but considerable harm. As such, there is substantial interest on the forensic ramifications of these sleep behaviours. METHODS: This review examined the diagnostic criteria for parasomnias established in the context of international classification systems; medicolegal case reports; legal frameworks; and court cases in and outside of Singapore, to provide an overview of the implications of NREM parasomnias. RESULTS: Violent or injurious behaviours that occurred in the context of somnambulism, otherwise known as sleepwalking, have challenged traditional legal theories of criminal culpability. Yet little has changed in the application of sleep science to criminal responsibility. In Singapore, the defence of somnambulism has hitherto not been directly raised. Nonetheless, sleep medicine practitioners may increasingly be requested to render their opinions on legal issues pertaining to violent or injurious behaviours allegedly arising during sleep. Although the understanding of NREM parasomnias has improved, there is still a dearth of evidence to support both medical and legal decisions in this area. CONCLUSION NREM parasomnias come with disquieting legal and forensic implications for adjudicating criminal responsibility. There is a need to critically examine legal perspectives on behaviours occurring during sleep. More reliable empirical studies investigating the pathophysiology of NREM parasomnias can offer clearer diagnostic guidelines and address complex behaviours of NREM that often come with medicolegal implications.
Adult ; Humans ; Parasomnias/diagnosis* ; Singapore ; Sleep/physiology* ; Somnambulism/diagnosis*