[Cannibalism and psychopathology].

Eating members of one's own species is one of the few remaining taboos in modern human societies. In humans, aggression cannibalism has been associated with mental illness. The objective of this report is to examine the unique set of circumstances and characteristics revealing the underlying etiology leading to such an act and the type of psychological effect it has for the perpetrator. A case report of a patient with paranoid schizophrenia who committed patricide and cannibalism is presented. The psychosocial implications of anthropophagy on the particular patient management are outlined.