Abstract
Objectives: Oedipus complex explains the emotions and ideas that concentrates upon a child’s desire to have sexual relations with the parent of the opposite sex. Oedipus complex keeps in the unconscious via dynamic repression, and is usually revealed through psychoanalysis. I report a case who develops Oedipus complexafter a severe traumatic brain injury.
Case: A 36-year-old man experienced a severe traumatic brain injury, resulting in diffuse SAH, right frontal SDH and left occipital EDH, as well as hydrocephalus. He was totally cared by his mother in the following months. After an event of V-P shunt obstruction, he changed his usual personality and seduced his mother by kissing on his mother’s lips, giving huge hug, and licking his mother’s ear…etc, which he has never done these before. He was then admitted to our neuropsychiatric facility. After admission, no seductive behaviors to other patient or medical stuff, but only to his mother. The results of psychologic testing revealed intact intelligence but with impaired impulsivity and psychomotor vigilance. Behavior modifications were advised both to the patient and his mother for these inappropriate behaviors. The patient showed anger at first but his behaviors were modified gradually.
Brain Imaging:
Discussion: Tracing back his developing story, his father did not play his own role during the patient’s growth, and the patient linked closely to his mother emotionally. It may be the psychogenic cause accompanied with organic cause (traumatic brain injury) that the patient did seductive behaviors when the brain inhibitory area was less well-functioned. Our case highlights that both psychoanalysis and severe traumatic brain injury can reveal Oedipus complex. Otherwise, behaviors modifications both to the patient and his mother showed efficacy in managing such condition.
Keywords: Oedipus Complex, traumatic brain injury