Manic depressive psychosis with mental retardation and flexion deformities: a clinical and cytogenetic study.

Five mentally handicapped patients are described in whom a bipolar manic depressive psychosis was associated with flexion deformities, involving principally the fingers. The effect of increasing degrees of retardation on the clinical presentation of the affective psychosis is discussed. Surgical treatment of the flexion deformity brought about considerable improvement in one patient. These five patients were further investigated cytogenetically using high resolution banding techniques. The results obtained were interesting but inconclusive. There would seem to be a definite place for further cytogenetic investigations of some of the more distinctive psychotic disorders using this technique.