Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) classically presents with headache, papilledema, and visual disturbances. Psychiatric manifestations are rare and may obscure a timely diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 23-year-old obese female with no prior psychiatric history presented with new-onset intrusive thoughts and compulsive finger-tapping rituals, leading to a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)....
No actionable change for audiology practice; this single case report highlights an atypical psychiatric symptom of IIH but does not change screening or management protocols for IIH-associated pulsatile tinnitus.
Awareness that IIH can present with unusual neuropsychiatric symptoms may prompt audiologists encountering pulsatile tinnitus to consider broader neurological referral pathways.
- 01Single case report of IIH presenting primarily with obsessive thoughts — a rare neuropsychiatric manifestation.
- 02IIH is already associated with pulsatile tinnitus and hearing symptoms, giving this tangential audiology relevance.
- 03Case reports sit at the lowest tier of clinical evidence and cannot support practice changes.
- 04Highlights the diagnostic complexity of IIH, which can mimic or co-occur with otological complaints.
- 05Reinforces the value of multidisciplinary collaboration between neurology and audiology/ENT for complex cases.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension can present with obsessive thoughts as a neuropsychiatric manifestation.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42226173
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12883-026-04895-5.
- Journal
- BMC Neurology
- Publication type
- case_report
- Evidence level
- 4
- Sample size
- 1
- Population
- Single patient presenting with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and obsessive thoughts
- Intervention
- Clinical characterisation of neuropsychiatric manifestations of IIH
Primary outcomes
Description of obsessive thought symptoms in the context of IIH; Clinical course and neuropsychiatric presentation