Nonschizophrenic paranoid syndromes.

After presenting their model for the description of delusions, the authors report some results of two catamnestic studies in patients with delusional syndromes. There is evidence for the hypothesis that the usual classification of such patients as paranoid schizophrenics is frequently not justified. A reasonable number of the cases might belong to cyclothymia or at least approach it. Disappearance of delusions and complete restitution frequently occur in this group, while chronicity seems connected with persistent psychopathological signs in the accompanying symptomatology supposed to represent--in part--organic brain syndromes or congenital or acquired psychopathic personalities.