Kluver-Bucy syndrome is a rare condition and only affects a small portion of those who suffer a brain injury.
Kluver-Bucy syndrome is a rare disordered eating condition caused by an injury to the brain’s anterior temporal lobes. One of the markers for Kluver-Bucy syndrome is bulimia nervosa, a severe eating disorder where an individual experiences episodes of binge eating followed by purging.
Kluver-Bucy syndrome is a rare behavioral condition that causes people to put objects in their mouths and experience uncontrollable sexual urges. It develops in individuals who injure the brain’s anterior temporal lobes as a result of trauma, brain tumors, brain infection, or degenerative brain disease. (1)
Medical professionals use the following criteria to diagnose Kluver-Bucy syndrome: (4)
The signs and symptoms of Kluver-Bucy syndrome tend to vary between adults and children. Adults with Kluver-Bucy may exhibit all or some of the following signs and symptoms:
In children, Kluver-Bucy may present itself as:
The symptoms of Kluver-Bucy syndrome can cause various health concerns. In children, the condition may also lead to delayed cognitive development. (5)
Kluver-Bucy is associated with herpes encephalitis, a viral brain infection that can damage the brain’s temporal lobes and cause Kluver-Bucy syndrome. Other related disorders include:
Treatment for Kluver-Bucy syndrome focuses on symptom management and varies, depending on the person. Medical professionals may suggest a combination of therapies and medications.
The development of an eating disorder is a common symptom of Kluver-Bucy syndrome. In most cases, people with Kluver-Bucy syndrome develop bulimia nervosa, which entails binge eating episodes followed by purging rituals. However, people with Kluver-Bucy syndrome also examine items with their mouths. In some cases, this can lead to people eating inedible objects, which is an eating disorder known as Pica. In either eating disorder, individuals may benefit from various types of psychotherapy, including:
Doctors often prescribe medications in conjunction with therapy to help individuals manage symptoms. Drugs used to treat Kluver-Bucy syndrome may include mood stabilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, carbamazepine, and leuprolide. (4)
Kluver-Bucy syndrome is a rare condition that researchers are working to understand. Of the published case reports involving Kluver-Bucy Syndrome, 70.1% of people diagnosed were male with an average age of 25. (6) The most common symptom found in all cases is hypersexuality followed by a dietary change.
People living with Kluver-Bucy syndrome experience a range of compulsions and urges they cannot control. In most cases, the urge is sexual. The person may make sexual advances toward a person who does not wish to engage. However, the person with Kluver-Bucy cannot recognize social cues or understand how their actions affect another person.
Another common urge for people with Kluver-Bucy is to examine objects by putting them into their mouths. Some people will place the object in their mouth and take it out. Others will attempt to eat the object, even if it’s unsafe to eat. The compulsion to place things in one’s mouth may manifest into bulimia nervosa. The individual will have binge eating episodes followed by purging behaviors.
It’s important to note that, with all the compulsions and urges, the person tends to feel a loss of control or an inability to recognize how their behaviors affect themselves and others. Since they don’t realize their actions’ effects, they may have trouble identifying when they should seek treatment.
The condition is named after Heinrich Kluver and Paul Bucy, who observed Kluver-Bucy syndrome in monkeys in 1937. (2) In 1955, two doctors named Terzian and Ore reported the first human case of Kluver-Bucy syndrome in a 19-year-old man who had suffered a seizure and later exhibited behavioral changes. Today, institutions such as the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke conduct research on Kluver-Bucy syndrome to better understand the disorder and possible treatments. (1)
A person with Kluver-Bucy may be unaware they need treatment for an eating disorder. If an individual notices the signs of bulimia nervosa in a loved one, it’s essential to discuss treatment options as soon as possible, as bulimia nervosa can lead to additional health complications. Some signs of bulimia nervosa to look out for are:
Kluver-Bucy may also cause individuals to place inedible objects in their mouths, so it’s vital to monitor if they are eating anything other than food.
The experts at Within Health understand the complexity of eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa associated with Kluver-Bucy syndrome. Within Health offers compassionate, evidence-based treatment personalized to each individual’s unique case. If you suspect you or anyone you know may be struggling from Kluver-Bucy syndrome, call our team today to learn about our virtual treatment programs.
Kluver-Bucy syndrome is a rare condition and only affects a small portion of those who suffer a brain injury.
Yes, both children and adults can develop Kluver-Bucy syndrome. Symptoms of Kluver-Bucy may present differently in kids. Children with Kluver-Bucy syndrome may lack emotion toward family, frequently hold or rub their genitals, and show signs of bulimia nervosa.
Doctors cannot reverse injuries to the brain that cause Kluver-Bucy. But, with treatment, those with Kluver-Bucy syndrome can learn to manage their symptoms.
