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PIMOZIDE IN THE TREATMENT OF MONOSYMPTOMATIC HYPOCHONDRIACAL PSYCHOSIS
Author(s) -
Riding J.,
Munro A.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1975.tb00019.x
Subject(s) - pimozide , psychosis , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , etiology , medicine , psychology , psychiatry , pediatrics , haloperidol , dopamine
An account is given of six cases treated with pimozide. Four of there cases fall into the diagnostic category of monosymptomatic hypochondriacal psychosis, a group with a traditionally poor prognosis. Three out of the four have responded favourably to pimozide, while the fourth showed a partial improvement. A fifth case also showed a marked degree of improvement despite a possibility of early cerebral arteriopathy. The one case which showed no improvement was suspected all along of having a personality disorder rather than a psychotic illnes, and this was subsequently confirmed. It is suggested that pimozide: a) may be an effective treatment for monosymptomatic hypochondriacal psychoses whatever their aetiology; and b) may differentiate rapidly between cases of mono‐symptomatic hypochondriacal psychoses and dysmorphophobias due to neurotically determined factors.