Abstract

Abstract
Background: Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic, and relapsing mental health disorder with onset in the adolescent and youth period that has the potential for gradual deterioration of the sufferer over a long period. It usually presents with a disturbance of perceptions, beliefs, and cognition, resulting in abnormal behaviour. Neurological symptom is an unusual mode of presentation of schizophrenia. We present a rare case of long-standing, untreated schizophrenia that mimics a neurological disorder in a Nigerian youth. This is to highlight the need to be suspicious when dealing with the sudden, unexplained onset of neurological symptoms in a youth with normal neurological examination and laboratory findings.

Aim and Objectives: Schizophrenia is a severe mental health disorder (Assen, 2000), characterized by an abnormality in perception, belief, and cognition resulting in gross abnormal behavior and deterioration in interpersonal and occupational functioning, with onset usually in adolescence and the youth period (Khan et al, 2015). It carries a significant burden on individuals and their families. It is a major contributor to the global burden of disease (Victor, 2013). While it is common to observe distortions in the belief systems, perceptual experiences, and other oddities of behaviour among youth suffering from this disorder, presenting with hard neurological sign such as gross motor dysfunction mimicking symmetrical lower motor weakness, a neurological disorder is uncommon (Bachmann et al, 2018).

Methods: We aimed to present a case report of a Nigerian youth who presented with a two-week history of inability to walk despite his desire to do so, without any neurological deficit and had a normal brain MRI scan, and other basic investigations.

Conclusion: This is to highlight the need to have a high index of suspicion among practitioners, especially when attending to young persons with a sudden onset of unexplained “neurological symptoms”.

Key Words: Untreated schizophrenia, neurological disorder, Nigerian youth.

Key words: Untreated Schizophrenia, Neurological disorder, Nigerian Youth