Past Issues
An Unusual Approach to a Patient with an
Arachnoid Cyst and Depression
Chi-Hua Yu, M.D.1, Ying-Jie Peng, M.D.1, Shih-Cheng Liao, M.D.2, Ming-Been Lee, M.D.2, Hsi-Chung Chen, M.D.2,3
Objective: Arachnoid cysts are the most common intracranial cysts and their
role in causing psychiatric symptoms is often underrecognized. This report is a
case of a patient with intracranial arachnoid cyst and clinical fi nding of depression.
Case report: A 53-year-old woman patient presented with unspecifi ed depressive
symptoms and the brain MRI fi nding showed an arachnoid cyst about 3 cm in size
over the right temporal pole. She showed dramatic clinical response to duloxetine
but the discrepancy between her verbal IQ and performance IQ were still persisted.
Conclusion: This case report is the fi rst to show an association between arachnoid
cysts and clinical depression, and to highlight the use of an unusual approach in
dealing with a patient with brain lesions and psychiatric symptoms.
role in causing psychiatric symptoms is often underrecognized. This report is a
case of a patient with intracranial arachnoid cyst and clinical fi nding of depression.
Case report: A 53-year-old woman patient presented with unspecifi ed depressive
symptoms and the brain MRI fi nding showed an arachnoid cyst about 3 cm in size
over the right temporal pole. She showed dramatic clinical response to duloxetine
but the discrepancy between her verbal IQ and performance IQ were still persisted.
Conclusion: This case report is the fi rst to show an association between arachnoid
cysts and clinical depression, and to highlight the use of an unusual approach in
dealing with a patient with brain lesions and psychiatric symptoms.
| Key Word | arachnoid cyst, depressive disorder, temporal lobe |
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