Koro syndrome.

Introduction

The classic Koro syndrome is usually found in China and South-East Asia. The name Koro means "head of the turtle" in Malay and in Cantonese the condition is known as suk yeong, which means "shrinking penis". Other local languages in China and South-East Asia also have similar names for the condition. The classic syndrome in China and South-East Asia is culture-bound and is characterized by the belief that:

• the penis is shrinking;

• it will disappear into the abdomen;

• it will cause death.

These beliefs are accompanied by an intense fear and by preventive manoeuvres such as tying, clamping or grasping the penis . It occurs both in epidemic and sporadic forms and females may also have the syndrome. It is usually a relatively short-lived condition.

According to local cultural beliefs, disguised ghosts of the dead, who are deprived of genitals, will take away victims' genitals so as to come back to life again, and this induces great fear and panic.

There are various different considerations and suggestions regarding the basis and nature of the syndrome and no consensus. As it falls into no specific diagnostic category, it has been considered either a form of anxiety disorder, panic, depersonalization or castration fear, a form of hysteria, an obsessional disorder or a psychotic disorder.

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Ekpliktika tromaktiko... Koro syndrome...