Functional psychosis in middle-aged people presenting as a long-lasting confusion state: a report of two cases

Two cases of functional psychosis in middle-aged people are reported. These patients manifested a long-lasting confusion, which eventually resolved. Attention is drawn to the fact that the clinical presentation of psychosis with predominant confusion symptoms is much more frequently encountered than usually believed. This particular clinical feature has been rather underestimated and only vaguely described in the current diagnostic classification systems. This often results in diagnostic perplexity in everyday psychiatric practice and delays the initiation of appropriate treatment. Finally, these reports are briefly discussed in the context of various proposed nosological entities, and the need for more systematic clinical information that would provide guidance on the classification of such psychotic disorders is suggested.