[Effect of the psychogenic factor on the clinical picture and course of schizophrenia]

The role of a psychic trauma depends upon the stage and course of schizophrenia. It can give a shade of reactive psychosis to the initial stage. The role of the psychogenic factor is still more apparent during the advanced stages of schizophrenia in a torpid course of the disease where it can cause exacerbation of the main symptoms, short-term excitatory hysteriform reactions, depressive or depressive-paranoid states partly reflecting the stress provoking situation. During the remission psychic trauma is usually responsible for the exacerbation of schizophrenic symptoms and the subsequent structural changes of the original defect. Thus, psychic trauma interacts with endogenous factors and influences the whole stereotype of the disease development.