RESUMO
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.
Los casos de psicosis aguda que durante el seguimiento longitudinal no reúnen criterios de esquizofrenia ni de psicosis afectivas son frecuentes en la práctica clínica habitual; sin embargo, pueden ser catalogados dentro de categorías diagnósticas que no representan de modo suficiente su individualidad nosológica. Este grupo intermedio de psicosis: caracterizado por su inicio agudo, curso usualmente breve, sintomatología polimórfica y recuperación sin defecto, ha sido concebido en diferentes escuelas psiquiátricas mediante diferentes conceptos: en tal sentido, el constructo de Psicosis Cicloides, proveniente de la psiquiatría alemana, ha demostrado validez y se halla engarzado en un sistema diagnóstico heurísticamente valioso (el de Wernicke-Kleist-Leonhard). A propósito de dos casos representativos, revisamos la literatura pertinente y resaltamos la necesidad de considerar esta posibilidad diagnóstica, a fin de evitar prolongados y potencialmente perjudiciales tratamientos antipsicóticos, prescritos bajo hipótesis incorrectas y gravosas.