title: [Psychotic symptoms as the initial manifestation of multiple sclerosis?].
abstract: Five case reports with psychiatric disorders prior to the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis are presented and discussed in relation to relevant scientific literature. Particularly the possibility of a causal correlation between psychopathological abnormalities and the CNS-inflammation is investigated. According to several reports and the own observations one has to consider the possibility of a (pure) psychotic onset of multiple sclerosis. The differential diagnosis in patients with psychotic illness should therefore include the encephalitic form of MS. Further studies with a standardized setting and a definite population basis are necessary to expand the knowledge in the epidemiology of psychiatric disturbances in MS.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Klinische Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie Medizinische Hochschule Hannover.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D009460:Neurologic Examination