[Lycanthropy-zooanthropism--discussion of a psychopathological phenomenon]

The belief to be transformed into an animal is named Lycanthropy. "Zooanthropismus" is the German equivalent. Three case reports raised the question how this phenomenon, in our cases to be transformed into a frog, a bee or a wolf/dog, can be interpreted in a psychopathological and diagnostic regard. Is it pathognomonic for a special disease? With the three case reports and a survey of the literature this paper deals with Lycanthropy trying to put this perhaps neglected topic back into the focus of psychiatric interest and place it in psychopathology.