A 44-Year-Old Man With Acute Mutism: Acute Stroke, Psychiatric Disorder, or Substance Abuse?

Abstract

Mutism is a common presentation of psychiatric diseases. However, patients presenting to the emergency department with mutism should be assumed to have an organic pathology irrespective of their psychiatric history. Little is known about the causality between mutism and illicit drug use. We report a case of a 44-year-old man with acute mutism who was initially diagnosed with ischemic cerebral infarction involving the dorsolateral frontal cortex causing Broca's aphasia. He was later found to have a history of amphetamine, ketamine, and new psychoactive substance use. Substance abuse could be a precipitating factor for acute stroke, especially among patients aged below 55 years. Patients should be routinely screened and counseled regarding illicit drug use. The present case report highlights the possibility that transient ischemia could be associated with acute mutism in drug abusers. Prompt acquisition of drug abuse history or basic drug screening is especially mandatory.