DIAGNOSIS, SYMPTOMS AND COURSE OF PSYCHOG ENIC TREMOR

A total of 21 patients with psychogenic tremor (PT) were asked tc, tak e part in a neurologic and psychosomatic assessment; for 17 patients f ollow-up information was also recorded. Women outnumbered men in the s ample. In tire majority of patients the tremor was associated with a v ariety of other conversion symptoms. The clinical picture of the tremo r varied. After beginning exclusively in the extremities, it tended to spread to other parts of the body. Other psychopathology (depression and histrionic personality disorder) existed in almost a third of the sample. Many patients had retired from professional life, or planned t o do so in the near future, because of PT. At follow up the initial di agnosis was confirmed in all patients although in some patients additi onal physical illness had developed during the follow-up period. When neurological and psychiatric/psychosomatic criteria are applied the di agnosis of PT can be established reliably. Studies that have questione d the validity of the conversion concept on the basis of frequent misd iagnoses may indicate problems in the diagnostic procedure rather than an invalid theoretical construct.