0000000000262891
AUTHOR
C. Thomalske
Anxiety disorders and other psychiatric subgroups in patients complaining of dizziness.
Two hundred and two consecutive patients with dizziness were evaluated using blind neuro-otological testing and examination, blind psychiatric examination, including structured interviews (according to DSM-IV), the Symptom Check-List (SCL 90 R), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In 28% of the patients (N=50) dizziness was of organic origin (O group); in 55.3% (N=99) of psychogenic origin (P group) and in 16.8% comorbid psychiatric disorders were found (Mixed group). In 5.3% (N=10) neither organic nor psychiatric results could be found, which could explain the dizziness (Ideopathic group). Compared with the Organic group the patients with psychiatric disorders (P and Mixed group)…
„Phobischer Schwankschwindel”
Due to the results of an interdisciplinary study on patients with vertigo as the chief symptom and on the background of psychodynamic theories concerning anxiety disorders the term of phobic postural vertigo (Brandt & Dieterich 1986) is discussed. It becomes obvious that phobic postural vertigo is a generalizing term which encompasses different forms of psychogenic vertigo. The authors plead for a more differentiated diagnosis and subgroup oriented classification of vertigo caused by psychiatric disorders.