[Cortisone-induced psychoses]

The records of 15 patients with cortisone psychoses were studied retrospectively. We observed two types of these substance-induced mental disorders: 1. rapidly reversible organic psychoses with peracute onset and 2. cortisone-induced schizophrenic psychoses with prolonged remission and typical follow-up. Depressive moods, dysthymia, anxiety, psychomotor agitation or euphoric symptoms are features occurring in initial states or mild forms of transit syndromes. More severe forms of cortisone induced transit syndromes are dominated by delusions and hallucinations, whereas most severe transit syndromes are characterized by reversible dementia. Females were affected more frequent than males. 40% of our patients developed steroid psychoses after treatment with a daily dose of 5-20 mg prednisolone or its equivalent. Neither dosage nor duration of treatment influenced severity, onset or duration of this mental disorders. Neuroleptic treatment and dose reduction led in 87% of patients to remission within four weeks.