Abstract
In 1896 Kraepelin described (involutional) melancholia as a single clinical entity separate from manic-depressive psychosis. Because of the high incidence of depression in the involutional period, its symptomatic characteristics, and somewhat poor prognosis, this was recognized as valid at that time. Nowadays, the broadening concept of mood disorder denies involutional melancholia as a valid independent entity, and so it is included in mood disorders. A closer psychopathological inspection, however, still reveals several crucial differentiating points, which suggest that should be separated from the current mood disorder concept. Its cardinal symptoms are as follows: unveiled basic anxiety (Schneider K), specific autistic thinking (Kranz H), lack of insight, dissimulation, and severe suicidal thoughts. Patients fear that their innermost mind will be revealed, try to hide it, and even pretend to be healthy. Melancholic patients are believed to be at an extremely high risk of suicide. Difference between species and types of disease and the diagnostic hierarchial rule, which classifies all mental disorders into four different hierarchies (groups), are also referred to. The reevaluation of involutional melancholia is imperative for the present field of clinical psychiatry.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 373-387 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Seishin shinkeigaku zasshi = Psychiatria et neurologia Japonica |
| Volume | 111 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
- Neuroscience(all)
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A study on involutional melancholia. / Kocha, Hiroki; Furuno, Takehiko.
In: Seishin shinkeigaku zasshi = Psychiatria et neurologia Japonica, Vol. 111, No. 4, 2009, p. 373-387.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A study on involutional melancholia
AU - Kocha, Hiroki
AU - Furuno, Takehiko
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - In 1896 Kraepelin described (involutional) melancholia as a single clinical entity separate from manic-depressive psychosis. Because of the high incidence of depression in the involutional period, its symptomatic characteristics, and somewhat poor prognosis, this was recognized as valid at that time. Nowadays, the broadening concept of mood disorder denies involutional melancholia as a valid independent entity, and so it is included in mood disorders. A closer psychopathological inspection, however, still reveals several crucial differentiating points, which suggest that should be separated from the current mood disorder concept. Its cardinal symptoms are as follows: unveiled basic anxiety (Schneider K), specific autistic thinking (Kranz H), lack of insight, dissimulation, and severe suicidal thoughts. Patients fear that their innermost mind will be revealed, try to hide it, and even pretend to be healthy. Melancholic patients are believed to be at an extremely high risk of suicide. Difference between species and types of disease and the diagnostic hierarchial rule, which classifies all mental disorders into four different hierarchies (groups), are also referred to. The reevaluation of involutional melancholia is imperative for the present field of clinical psychiatry.
AB - In 1896 Kraepelin described (involutional) melancholia as a single clinical entity separate from manic-depressive psychosis. Because of the high incidence of depression in the involutional period, its symptomatic characteristics, and somewhat poor prognosis, this was recognized as valid at that time. Nowadays, the broadening concept of mood disorder denies involutional melancholia as a valid independent entity, and so it is included in mood disorders. A closer psychopathological inspection, however, still reveals several crucial differentiating points, which suggest that should be separated from the current mood disorder concept. Its cardinal symptoms are as follows: unveiled basic anxiety (Schneider K), specific autistic thinking (Kranz H), lack of insight, dissimulation, and severe suicidal thoughts. Patients fear that their innermost mind will be revealed, try to hide it, and even pretend to be healthy. Melancholic patients are believed to be at an extremely high risk of suicide. Difference between species and types of disease and the diagnostic hierarchial rule, which classifies all mental disorders into four different hierarchies (groups), are also referred to. The reevaluation of involutional melancholia is imperative for the present field of clinical psychiatry.
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M3 - Article
VL - 111
SP - 373
EP - 387
JO - Seishin shinkeigaku zasshi = Psychiatria et neurologia Japonica
JF - Seishin shinkeigaku zasshi = Psychiatria et neurologia Japonica
SN - 0033-2658
IS - 4
ER -