Resumo

CRUZADO D, Lizardo; RONDON DE LA JARA, José; PAIMA R, Renzo  e  SANCHEZ F, Miguel. Cycloid psychosis: regarding two probable cases. Rev. chil. neuro-psiquiatr. [online]. 2012, vol.50, n.2, pp. 106-111. ISSN 0717-9227.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-92272012000200004.

Cases of acute psychosis which during longitudinal follow-up did not meet criteria for schizophrenic psychosis or affective psychosis are common in clinical practice; however, those cases can be classified into diagnostic categories that are not sufficiently representative of their nosological individuality. This intermediate group of psychosis: characterized by acute onset, usually brief course, polymorphic symptomatology and recovery without defect, has been conceived in different psychiatric schools through different concepts: in this sense, the construct of Cycloid Psychoses, original from German psychiatry, has demonstrated validity and is embedded in a heuristically profitable diagnostic system (the Wernicke-Kleist-Leonhard classification). Apropos of two representative cases, we review here the relevant literature and highlight the need to consider this diagnostic possibility - not fully considered in the present diagnostic systems yet- in order to avoid prolonged antipsychotic treatments based on unnecessarily ominous nosological hypothesis.

Palavras-chave : Psychotic disorders; acute and transient psychotic disorders; schizophrenia.