[Cycloid psychoses. A case report]. / Psicosis cicloide. A propósito de un caso.

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.