Cycloid psychoses. A case report

Abstract

Cycloid psychoses, described by Leonhard, have a sudden onset, unstable polymorphic delusion symptomatology, labile state of consciousness, lack of physical symptoms, quick remission with no residual mental abnormalities and normality between episodes. Leonhard distinguished three clinical forms: anxiety-happiness psychosis, excited-inhibited confusion psychosis and hyperkinetic-akinetic motility psychosis. The essential characteristics of this clinical subtypes are: polymorphism, global disturbance of psychic life, acute appearance of symptoms, total insomnia 3 days before onset of symptomatology, intra and interepisode lability, polar structure, tendency to repetition of episodes (phases) and a good long-term prognosis.

We present a patient's clinical history and evolution that illustrate the characteristics of this kind of endogenous psychoses.