In general psychiatric practice, this syndrome is characterized as a disorder associated with the general mental helplessness of the patient. He has a decrease in intelligence, impaired memory, quick wits. For the first time this term was proposed by a psychiatrist from Switzerland, E. Bleyer.
Causes of disease
Psycho-organic syndrome can be diagnosed in representatives of any population group. However, most often this disorder affects the elderly, who have a lesser degree of adaptability. This disorder can be caused by many different factors. Among the most common causes, doctors usually distinguish the following:
- Various diseases that are atrophic in nature - for example, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease.
- Pathologies that affect the circulatory system - atherosclerosis, high blood pressure.
- Infections - both brain and general. For example, neurosyphilis or encephalitis lead to irreversible changes in brain tissue.
- Oncology of the brain.
- Head injuries.
- Epileptic attacks.
- Intoxication due to drugs or stimulants.
- Disturbances in the endocrine system.
At the same time, a psychoorganic syndrome can be both a residual disorder and a consequence of the transfer of one or another pathology of the central nervous system.
Symptoms
This syndrome is represented by three types of disorders, which are otherwise often called the W alter-Buel triad. This is:
- Memory disorders (a person begins to suffer from amnesia or, conversely, remembers too much, cannot get rid of unnecessary information).
- Intelligence disorders (significantly reduced level of generalization, ability to concrete thinking, comprehension).
- Problems in terms of emotions (there may be a reduced emotional background or, conversely, an attack of euphoria; the patient is emotionally labile, shows weakness or emotional rudeness).
In this case, the severity of manifestations of the psychoorganic syndrome may vary. The initial manifestations are pseudo-neuroses in the form of asthenic symptoms, as well as personality disorders (sharpening or, on the contrary, complete leveling of personality traits). The most severe symptoms present a picture of total dementia.
Psycho-organic syndrome: its manifestations and diagnostic value in practice
Depending on the stage, the syndrome can manifest itself in different ways. In the early stages, the disease may be accompanied by symptoms characteristic of other diseases, which complicates the process of diagnosis. Sometimes the process of correct formulation of the conclusion due to these manifestations becomes more complicated at times; doctors make a wrong diagnosis, but in reality the patient suffers from a psycho-organic syndrome. The ICD-10 lists the following symptoms of the disease at the initial stage:
- constant thirst followed by migraine attacks;
- appetite disorders;
- sensitivity to weather changes - meteorological dependence;
- dizziness;
- sleep failures;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Along with these symptoms, the triad of W alter - Buel is also observed. If the patient has memory impairment, it will be noticeable at all stages of the disease. A person has problems both with the reproduction of information and with memorization. It is also difficult for the patient to orient in space and time. Ultimately, difficulties are observed in orientation in one's own personality.
Intelligence Disorders
Severe psycho-organic syndrome also manifests itself in intellectual disorders:
- The patient loses the ability to learn the simplest, most elementary things. In most cases, this refers to new information for him, with which he had not previously beensign. At the same time, the knowledge gained in the past remains safe and sound.
- Speech disorders. Vocabulary gradually becomes more and more scarce, the patient uses formulaic words and phrases.
Emotional disturbances
In the area of emotions, the symptoms of the disease will be as follows:
- The patient's rapid mental exhaustion.
- Loss of will or its significant weakening.
- The patient is unable to contain his impulses - for example, a fit of anger or joy.
- Depressive states, delusions, hallucinations may also be observed depending on individual characteristics.
Disease development options
At the initial stages, there may be anxious suspiciousness, slight irritability. In the future, these symptoms are gradually leveled. They seem to "dissolve" in the growing decline in intellectual abilities, memory, empathy. The syndrome can develop in one of four scenarios:
- Asthenic variant. At this stage, patients experience rapid physical and mental exhaustion. A person becomes very irritable, he is unstable in the manifestation of his emotions. Even not the most insignificant irritant of the external environment - sound, smell - he can react painfully. This scenario assumes minor changes in intelligence; only slight memory impairment may be observed.
- Explosive psychoorganic syndrome - the next stage of the disease. It is a combination of emotional excitability (aggression, irritability), moderatememory disorders, disorders of adaptation to the external environment. Patients also experience a weakening of the will, self-control. The patient becomes very impressionable, sometimes there are hysterical states. Often at this stage, alcohol abuse can be observed. Patients' general condition worsens. Overvalued ideas may come up.
- Euphoric and apathetic scenarios. Patients show complete intellectual failure. There are violations of memory, the ability to remember current events. Both scenarios can be regarded as varieties of dementia. As for the euphoric variant, there is an increase in mood, there are often states of complacency, goodwill. However, they can be sharply interspersed with bouts of aggressiveness, irritation. The patient may become tearful and helpless.
Features of the apathetic variant
As for the apathetic scenario, here the patient behaves in a stereotyped way, he lacks spontaneity. The range of his interests narrows sharply; he becomes indifferent to others and to himself. The patient is not able to switch from one topic of conversation to another, but it often happens vice versa - he slips from the topic under discussion to an outside one.
Sometimes the apathetic scenario can resemble the end stage of schizophrenia. Only a doctor establishes the correct diagnosis, analyzing in detail all the symptoms of the manifestation of the disease. In particular, attention should be paid to violent bouts of crying.or laughter, which are not characteristic of schizophrenia.
Acute and chronic course
During the psycho-organic syndrome, the ICD distinguishes two more variants of the disease - chronic and acute. As for the latter, it is characterized by a sudden manifestation. An acute condition can last from several days to several weeks. In the future, relapses that turn into a chronic course are not ruled out.
As for the chronic syndrome, here the symptoms can often be subtle. The disease is characterized by a different course, and its symptoms largely depend on the characteristics of the previous disease.
- For example, in Pick's disease or Huntington's chorea, the syndrome progresses and quickly leads to dementia.
- In case of a disease resulting from a traumatic brain injury, the course of the disease is as close as possible to a stationary one.
- When benign tumors occur, remissions are often possible.
Manifestations of the syndrome in childhood
The disease is extremely rare in children. However, according to the ICD-10 classification, its manifestations differ significantly from those observed in adult patients. This is due to the fact that most of the mental functions are not yet fully developed. Depending on age, the signs of the disease in children can vary significantly.
In early childhood there may be a delay in the development of speech. It is difficult for children to memorize new words. An unstable mood should attract attention, andas well as sleep disturbances. Sometimes there is fussiness.
As for patients of preschool age, there may be violations associated with the emotional-volitional sphere. The behavior of the child is distinguished by importunity, impulsiveness. Fine motor skills suffer, the child's inability to concentrate is visible.
Children of school age may experience cognitive impairment. In addition, increased self-criticism, as well as impulsiveness, should attract attention.
Therapy
As such, there is no specific treatment for the psychoorganic syndrome. Therapy is aimed primarily at eliminating those root causes that caused the syndrome. Despite the huge selection of psychotropic drugs on the market, there is no specific treatment for this disease. The psychiatrist may prescribe only supportive therapy, depending on the severity of the accompanying symptoms. Treatment can be carried out in a hospital or on an outpatient basis - depending on the severity of the manifestations of the disease. The appointment of vitamins, nootropics has a positive effect. Quite often, psychiatrists prescribe "Piracetam", "Cortexin", "Pantogam" and other similar drugs to such patients.
It should be noted that only a qualified specialist has the right to diagnose and prescribe treatment. You should contact a psychiatrist, neuropsychiatrist ordistrict therapist in case of suspected psychoorganic syndrome. Psychiatry is an area where it is better not to delay treatment. A timely visit to the doctor will help to avoid unpleasant consequences.
