INCEST: Some Neuropsychiatric Findings

A review of the medical records of twenty-two patients who were the child or younger member of an incestuous relationship revealed a higher than expected incidence of abnormal neuropsychiatric findings. Seventeen patients had abnormal EEG's; six had clinical seizures; and eight of thirteen patients tested gave evidence of a low IQ or organicity. In addition, indications of impulsivity and depersonalization were frequently found in this group. It could be speculated that these neuropsychiatric handicaps create a vulnerability that enhances inappropriate relationships within a family and makes it more difficult for the person to resist an incestuous relationship.