ALUCINAÇÕES VISUAIS: CRITÉRIOS CLÍNICOS E DIAGNÓSTICOS DIFERENCIAIS ENTRE ETIOLOGIAS PSIQUIÁTRICAS, NEUROLÓGICAS E OFTALMOLÓGICAS
ALUCINAÇÕES VISUAIS: CRITÉRIOS CLÍNICOS E DIAGNÓSTICOS DIFERENCIAIS ENTRE ETIOLOGIAS PSIQUIÁTRICAS, NEUROLÓGICAS E OFTALMOLÓGICAS
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.8208232628015
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Palavras-chave: Alucinações visuais; Diagnóstico diferencial; Síndrome de Charles Bonnet.
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Keywords: Visual hallucinations; Differential diagnosis; Charles Bonnet syndrome.
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Abstract: Introduction: Visual hallucinations are a transdiagnostic clinical phenomenon associated with psychiatric, neurological, and ophthalmological conditions. Accurate etiological differentiation is essential to prevent misdiagnosis and inappropriate management, particularly in acute settings and in patients with visual impairment. Materials and Methods: A systematized literature review was conducted using electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library), including publications from 2016 to 2026. Original studies, reviews, consensus statements, and clinical guidelines addressing phenomenology, diagnostic criteria, and differential diagnosis were eligible. Studies were selected through title/abstract screening and full-text assessment, followed by standardized data extraction and narrative synthesis organized by etiological axes. Results: Differential diagnosis of visual hallucinations relied primarily on attention and level of consciousness, temporal pattern, insight, and the presence of visual impairment. Delirium emerged as a high-priority acute etiology, typically characterized by abrupt onset and fluctuating mental status. In ophthalmology, Charles Bonnet syndrome was frequently identified in individuals with vision loss, presenting complex hallucinations with preserved consciousness and often preserved insight. In neurology, synucleinopathies (dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease) were strongly associated with recurrent, well-formed hallucinations accompanied by cognitive fluctuations and parkinsonism. Paroxysmal disorders such as occipital lobe epilepsy and migraine aura showed distinctive elementary visual phenomena and temporal profiles useful for clinical differentiation. In psychiatry, visual hallucinations were less prevalent but clinically relevant, warranting evaluation for secondary causes when prominent. Conclusion: Visual hallucinations require a structured, multidisciplinary diagnostic approach. Integrating phenomenology, temporal pattern, mental status, cognition, and visual function is crucial to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide appropriate investigations and management.
- Gilberto Lima Neto
- Luma Rocha Andrade
- Victória Troncon Oliveira
- Hudson Amaro Barboza
- Letícia Pirola Maziero Anacleto
- Renato Carneiro Anacleto