[Manias and their treatment]

In the introduction the author outlines contemporary views on the problem of manias; she gives basic epidemiological information and an account of aetiopathogenetic mechanisms. She analyzes in more detail therapeutic procedures which are most common in clinical practice, i.e. electroconvulsive therapy, neuroleptic drugs, lithium, anticonvulsants, incl. high-affinity benzodiazepines and calcium channel blockers. Data from the literature are compared with the author's own experience with treatment of manic states.