Epileptic psychosis—A clinical study

Abstract

1. A study was made of 30 cases of epileptic psychosis in patients resident in a State hospital. 2. The relationship of heredity, birth injuries, head trauma, infantile convulsions, and feeblemindedness to the etiology of epilepsy is discussed. 3. The epileptic personality is the important feature of the disease and consists essentially of egocentricity, extreme sensitiveness and emotional poverty. 4. The relationship of the preepileptic, to the epileptic personality was equivocal in this series of cases. 5. Systematized delusions and continued hallucinations were practically absent; mild transitory trends and hallucinations occurred during acute episodes of excitement or confusion. 6. With continued residence in the hospital, the number of convulsions and the acute episodes were less frequent and both tended to be milder. 7. Homicidal tendencies were present in only three cases. 8. Deterioration was the outstanding symptom noted in this group of cases and is dependent most probably on environmental factors.