[Psychopathology and differential diagnosis of so-called Cannabis psychoses].
Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie July 1, 1983 K L Täschner
Among 237 patients examined for drug-induced psychoses, 50 cannabis psychoses and 107 other drug-induced psychoses were compared with 219 schizophrenic patients. The cannabis psychoses showed general agreement in symptomatology with both other drug-induced psychoses and schizophrenia. The variation from schizophrenic symptoms was common to both cannabis and other drug-induced psychoses. The authors conclude there is no distinct disease "cannabis psychosis" or "drug-induced psychosis" as separate entities. While a slight drug-specific psychopathological undertone exists, it does not justify a syndromatic or nosological entity. The psychopathological cross section does not allow differentiation among the psychosis groups. The similarity may reflect either the same underlying pathological process or cannabis-triggered schizophrenia. The authors propose diagnosing symptomatic psychoses by considering etiology alongside syndrome diagnosis.