[Psychiatric complications of corticotherapy]

Corticosteroid therapy may induce numerous psychiatric disorders. Minor changes of the euphoric mood type are observed in 75% of the patients under treatment. Major adverse effects are encountered in not more than about 5% of the cases. They consist of acute polymorphous psychotic manifestations which may be manic or depressive or, when high doses of corticosteroids are taken, of the organic confusion type. Such manifestations are particularly frequent in women and in some diseases such as lupus erythematosus or pemphigus. In the vast majority of cases they follow a favourable course when corticosteroids are reduced or discontinued and a symptomatic treatment with neuroleptic drugs is prescribed. Psychic dependence on corticosteroids and withdrawal syndromes have also been reported.