[Reactive depression in patients with slowly progressive schizophrenia].

Under observation there were 71 patients with reactive states developed in the presence of slowly progressing schizophrenia. Three types of the reactive depressions were distinguished: simple depressions following the line of psychogenically provoked endogenous phases; hysteric-type depressions, and reactive depressions with a polymorphous picture approaching schizophrenic reactions and being, in essence, psychogenically provoked schizophrenic episodes. It is shown that the level of the reactive lability and the time course of the reactive depressions is determined to a great measure by the degree of stabilization (or activity) of the endogenous process. In the period of stabilization (latent forms of schizophrenia, long-time remissions after an episode) the reactive states may be induced by a severe psychic trauma, and the time course of the depression, if the endogenous disturbances are added, remains within the limits of the phase. In the period of activation of the endogenous process the psychogenic depressions develop after relatively slight psychic traumas. In such cases, if the endogenous schizophrenic process is continuous, the reactive states become protracted and approach in their mechanisms to reactive development. In cases of "schubweise" schizophrenia the time course of the psychogenic reactions is confined to the limits of the episode.