Related Experiment Videos
Patients with multiple sclerosis presenting to psychiatric hospitals
D S Pine1, C J Douglas, E Charles
1Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, N.Y., USA.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|July 1, 1995
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients admitted to psychiatric units are more likely to have mania or manic psychosis. Early neurologic symptoms can be missed, highlighting the need for MS consideration in patients with unexplained mania.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Neurology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is linked to neuropsychiatric syndromes, but clinical features of psychiatric illness in MS inpatients are understudied.
- Severe psychiatric conditions can mask neurological symptoms in MS patients, necessitating an understanding of their range and frequency in inpatient settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical characteristics and psychiatric diagnoses of inpatients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
- To compare the psychiatric profiles of MS patients with the general inpatient psychiatric population.
Main Methods:
- A chart review was conducted on 2720 consecutive admissions to three psychiatric units.
- The study compared the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III) psychiatric diagnoses of multiple sclerosis patients against the overall inpatient population.
Main Results:
- Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) showed a significantly higher prevalence of mania and manic psychosis compared to the general inpatient population.
- Seven out of ten MS patients had prior psychiatric hospitalizations, with four cases exhibiting unrecognized neurological symptoms suggestive of MS.
- Among these four, three presented with psychosis and one with catatonia during their admissions.
Conclusions:
- Multiple sclerosis patients represent a small fraction of psychiatric admissions.
- Clinicians should consider multiple sclerosis (MS) in patients presenting with manic symptoms alongside unexplained neurological findings.