["Saddam syndrome:" acute psychotic reactions during the Gulf War--renewal of concept of brief reactive psychosis].
6 patients came to our psychiatric emergency room during the first 2 weeks of the Gulf War presenting the clinical picture of acute delusional paranoid psychosis (4 women and 2 men between the ages of 30-77). 4 were without previously known psychopathology, while the other 2 were known to have had some nonpsychotic cognitive impairment. The first 4 recovered completely within a short time while the other 2 continued to have psychopathological symptoms. We discuss psychogenic or reactive psychosis, and the concept of reactivation when cumulative trauma exceed the individual's personal threshold, as may occur during a war. Different phenomenological syndromes may follow.
Talmon
Y
Y
Psychiatric Services, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot.
Guy
N
N
Mayor
K
K
Raps
A
A
Naor
S
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013577:Syndrome; D014857:Warfare