July 26, 2026

@michaelokun

Psychosis: Don't Miss the "PSYCHOSIS" Mnemonic. One of the most practical teaching pearls from Dr. Jen Goldman at today's Aspen Course was the "PSYCHOSIS" mnemonic for evaluating acute hallucinations/illusions in Parkinson's disease. Rather than assuming hallucinations or delusions are simply progression of Parkinson's disease, clinicians should systematically search for reversible causes: Parkinson's medications, SYstemic illness, Centrally acting medications, Hepatic/renal or metabolic dysfunction, Overdose or intoxication, Sensory deprivation, Infection, and Structural brain lesions. The key message is that acute psychosis in Parkinson's disease is often multifactorial, and a careful search for these common contributors can identify treatable causes before escalating antipsychotic therapy.