Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1989 Aug; 80(2): 183-6.

Penile perception of Koro patients.

Chowdhury AN.

North Bengal Medical College, Department of Medicine, Siliguri, Darjeeling District, India.

Koro, a state where the perception of penis length decreases due to shrinkage from intra-abdominal traction, constitutes the central pathology. The present study was an attempt to explore the penis perception of the Koro patients by devising a graphomotor projective test, the Draw-a-penis Test (DAPT). DAPT elicited the penis image of the drawer, both of a normal penis and own penis perception. It also elicited the nature of perceptual process concerning the penile state changes, i.e. from flaccid to extended state. This controlled DAPT investigation showed a perceptual abnormality of penis image of Koro patients. They perceived less penis length, both for the penis of a normal person and their own penis and failed to perceive effectively the morphological change of penile states in terms of length increase. This perceptual abnormality in organ image is discussed in relation to the Koro vulnerability and psychopathology.