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A Case of the Kleine-Levin Syndrome of Long Duration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

H. R. George
H. R. George*
Affiliation:
Banstead Hospital, Sutton, and St. Mary Abbots Hospital, London, W.8
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Extract

There have been few cases of this syndrome published since the original papers by Kleine in 1925 and Levin in 1929. Critchley (1962) described 26 cases in his paper, in which he reviewed the condition fully. Earles (1965) mentioned 44 cases in the literature: a female case was recently discussed by Duffy and Davison (1968). According to Critchley the characteristic symptoms of this syndrome are ‘recurring episodes of undue sleepiness lasting some days, associated with an inordinate intake of food and often with abnormal behaviour’. Invariably male adolescents are affected; they are normal in between attacks and the condition tends to disappear in later life.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 117 , Issue 540 , November 1970 , pp. 521 - 523
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1970 

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References

Critchley, M. (1962). ‘Periodic hypersomnia and megaphagia in adolescent males.’ Brain, 85, 627–56.Google Scholar
Duffy, J. P., and Davison, K. (1968). ‘A female case of the Kleine-Levin syndrome.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 114, 77–84.Google Scholar
Earles, B. V. (1965). ‘Periodic hypersomnia and megaphagia (Kleine-Levin syndrome).’ Psychiat. Quart., 39, 79–83.Google Scholar
Gallinek, A. (1954). ‘Syndromes of episodes or hypersomnia, bulimia and abnormal mental states.’ J. Amer. med. Ass., 154, 1081–3.Google Scholar
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Raymond, M. J., and Robertson, J. P. S. (1967). Geigy Professional Service Series in Programmed Learning. Vol. 7. Psychopathy.Google Scholar
Roth, B. (1962). Narkolepsie und Hypersomnie. Berlin: VEB Verl. Volk und Gesundheit. Quoted by Bonkalo, A. (1968). ‘Hypersomnia: a discussion on the psychiatric implications.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 114, 69–74.Google Scholar
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