WORSENING OF PICA AS A SYMPTOM OF DEPRESSIVE-ILLNESS IN A PERSON WITHSEVERE MENTAL HANDICAP

The case of a person with severe mental handicap whose pica became unc ontrollable during episodes of depressive illness is described. Treatm ent of the depression with lofepramine markedly reduced the pica, and withdrawal of lofepramine led to recurrence. It is suggested that biol ogical symptoms of depression should be monitored in people with sever e mental handicap who show significant episodic worsening of long-stan ding repetitive behaviour.