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Influenza Infection Causing Manic Psychosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

D. Steinberg
Affiliation:
The Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF
S. R. Hirsch
Affiliation:
The Maudsley Hospital; currently attached Research Worker, M.R.C. Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, S.E.5

Extract

Although depression is well known as a sequel to influenza, mania is not. We describe a patient with a severe psychotic illness who first showed features of a confusional state but then developed a manic psychosis. The occurrence of functional affective psychoses during or following systemic physical illness has been well described (Bonhoeffer, 1909; Kraepelin, 1921; Kiloh, 1961; Post, 1965), but the nature of the relationship has never been clear. In some instances, the physical illness may simply act as a form of non-specific stress precipitating the mental disorder; evidence for a more direct patho-physiological relationship has been lacking. When, in addition to a background of physical illness, a patient shows disorientation and clouding of consciousness together with signs of a manic psychosis, the diagnostic problem is especially difficult, particularly so since a confusional state can occur as part of a severe manic illness (Maudsley, 1895; Kraepelin, 1921). Conversely, hypomanic symptoms can occur in an organic psychosis (Bonhoeffer, 1909).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1972 

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