[Epileptic patients in the psychiatric clinic. From twilight attacks to psychosis]

Cases of epilepsy at the University Psychiatric Clinic of Bern during the decade 1968 to 1977 are analysed, and of 203 such cases 122 were psychotic. In comparison to the non-psychotic cases those with psychosis showed significantly more females, more kryptogenesis, more combined hereditary taint with epilepsy and other neuropsychiatric diseases (excluding neuroses and psychopathies) and more alteration of character, but not more intellectual deterioration. Psychomotor epilepsies were over-represented among the psychotic cases. They did not differ from other forms of epilepsy as regards kryptogenetic origin or number of first degree relatives with epilepsy, but this group did contain all 3 cases in our material who had first degree relatives with schizophrenia. The striking similarity between results of stimulation through deeply implanted electrodes in the limbic system and familiar symptoms of schizophrenia is indicated and discussed in this light.