An Adaptive Network Model of Cotard’s Delusion: Mapping Nihilistic Beliefs Across Neurobiological Levels

This research project aims to represent the development and emergence of the severe neuropsychiatric condition named Cotard’s delusion by implementing a six-level higher adaptive network model capturing biological, cognitive, and epigenetic levels. The model emphasizes adaptive processes via dynamic interactions between environmental triggers, stressors, epigenetic mechanisms, neural plasticity, and most importantly the relationship between the aforementioned and beliefs. More specifically, it portrays how disturbances originating from both the upmost epigenetic level and the baseline environmental factors propagate through subsequent states result in persistent maladaptive cognitive states belonging to Cotard’s syndrome. Furthermore, the research aims to model targeted epigenetic therapeutic interventions, leveraging the adaptive structure to identify ideal points to mitigate the nihilistic delusions. Based on the limited research due to its sub parent nature as a disorder, another major aim of this paper is to shed light on the rare characteristics of patients suffering from this, who are usually grouped and diagnosed into other major, far more common disorders such as MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) and psychosis.