Psychiatry and Psychology

Koro

A culture-specific acute delusional syndrome occurring mostly in the Malay people and Southern Chinese. The syndrome is characterized by the individual's sudden experience of depersonalization depicted by the belief that his penis is shrinking into his abdomen and that he will die when this occurs. Although generally classified as a culture-specific syndrome, koro may be no more than a variant of castration anxiety (ANXIETY, CASTRATION) as it has been described in non-Asian patients.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A culture-specific acute delusional syndrome occurring mostly in the Malay people and Southern Chinese. The syndrome is characterized by the individual's sudden experience of depersonalization depicted by the belief that his penis is shrinking into his abdomen and that he will die when this occurs. Although generally classified as a culture-specific syndrome, koro may be no more than a variant of castration anxiety (ANXIETY, CASTRATION) as it has been described in non-Asian patients.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

6 entry terms
  • Genital Retraction Syndrome
  • Koro Syndrome
  • Genital Retraction Syndromes
  • Koro Syndromes
  • Syndrome, Genital Retraction
  • Syndrome, Koro

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

31 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

a depersonalization disorder; do not confuse with KURU, a neurological disorder; specify ethnic group if pertinent; check tag MALE

MeSH Record

History Note

92

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Anxiety, Castration (1976-1991)
  • Delusions (1983-1991)
  • Depersonalization Disorder (1969-1991)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. F01.470w.132w.150w.500w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Koro. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D016911. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D016911
  2. Koro. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koro_(disease)
  3. Koro. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1080699