Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T20:28:38.723Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Camptocormia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Pau Pérez-Sales*
Affiliation:
Regional Department of Mental Health, Esteli, Region I, Las Segovias, Nicaragua
*
Marques de Sentmenat 66, 08029 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain

Abstract

Camptocormia is a rare conversion syndrome found mainly in soldiers from World War I and II. No case has been reported since, but this paper reports the syndrome in a former soldier of the Nicaraguan army. It is characterised by severe frontal flexion of the spinal cord and knees, with passive dropping of both arms, and sometimes behavioural abnormalities.

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, E. W. (1941) Hysteria in wartime. Journal of the Royal Navy Medical Services, 27, 141149.Google Scholar
Ballard, S. I. (1945) Psychiatric casualties in a women's service. British Medical Journal, i, 293295.Google Scholar
Belgrano, V. & Giordano, G. B. (1947) Sur la camptocormie. Revue de Neurologie, 79, 2535.Google Scholar
Boland, E. W. & Corr, W. P. (1943) Psychogenic rheumatism. Journal of the American Medical Association, 123, 805809.Google Scholar
Davies, D. B. & Bick, J. W. (1946) Histeria in military personnel. Bulletin of the US Army Department, 6, 8285.Google Scholar
Fox, H. M. (1945) Treatment of soldiers complaining of backache. Journal Nervous and Mental Disease, 102, 154164.Google Scholar
Hamlin, P. G. (1943) Camptocormia: hysterical bent back of soldiers. Military Surgeon, 92, 295300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horder, $. (1939) Editorial. British Medical Journal, ii, 1199.Google Scholar
Hurst, A. (1941) Hysterical contractures following injuries in war. Clinical Journal, 70, 2940.Google Scholar
Outes, D. L. (1956) Camptocormia en Parkinson Post-encefalitico. Acta Neuropsiquiatrica Argentina, 2, 179185.Google Scholar
Rosanoff-Saloff, $. (1916) Considerations generates sur la camptocormia. Nouvelles Iconografies Salpetriense, 28, 28.Google Scholar
Sandler, S. A. (1947) Camptocormia or the functional bent back. Psychosomatic Medicine, 9, 197204.Google Scholar
Shalev, A. & Munitz, H. (1986) Conversion without hysteria: a case report and review of the literature. British Journal of Psychiatry, 148, 198203.Google Scholar
Souques, A. (1916) Reformes, incapacites, gratifications dans la camptocormie. Revue du Neurologie, 23, 757.Google Scholar
Sutro, C. J. & Hulbert, B. (1946) Camptocormia: an hysterical flexion deformity of vertebral column. Bulletin of the US Army Department, 5, 570574.Google Scholar
Walker, G. F. (1928) A note on camptocormia. Lancet, 2 April, 808.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.