THE CONCOMITANCE OF ORGANIC AND PSYCHOLOGIC CHANGES DURING MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
A Case Analysis
Milton H. Erickson
Detailed psychiatric, psychologic and physiologic studies were made for a period of seven months on a patient suffering from schizophrenia, catatonic reaction type.
Three distinct psychiatric states—namely, stupor, recovery from the stupor and a condition of apparent recovery from the psychosis— were found, for each of which a physiological cross-sectional study was made.
During the stuporous state he was under-weight, had diminished oxygen consumption, reduced body temperature, polyuria and delayed colonic emptying time. Other physiological findings were essentially normal.
During the second period he had recovered from the stupor, had gained weight, manifested a slight, equivocal decrease in his oxygen consumption rate, a slight increase in body temperature, mild secondary anemia, a questionable low blood volume and low venous and arterial oxygen content. Other findings were within normal ranges.
During the third period the patient appeared to have reached the level of his pre-institutional mental state, had gained weight and manifested a normal oxygen consumption rate, with normal body temperature. Except for a marked polyuria and low venous oxygen content, the physical data showed no apparently significant deviation from the normal.
There is evidence suggestive of a pituitary deficiency manifested at about puberty, according to the history, and also during the first and third periods of study. However, the fluctuations noted could likewise be attributed to an abnormal functioning of the hypothalamus.
In brief, coincidental with the changes in the psychiatric and psychological spheres, there have been corresponding or opposite fluctuations and variations in the organic sphere. Also, in some instances, an apparent independence has been indicated by physiologic constancy. Accordingly, when more studies of this nature have been made, an answer to the question of functional interdependence may be achieved.
