The term “phasic psychoses” refers to a class of psychoses that is characterized by episodic course with full remission between episodes.  The concept was introduced in 1949 by Edda Neele in the title of her monograph “Die phasischen Psychosen nach Ihrem Erscheinungs – und Erbbild” (“The Phasic Psychoses Based on Their Presentation and Family History”).  In the same monograph (based on her thesis written for “habilitation”), she divided the “phasic psychoses” into “manic-depressive illness of affect”, “hyperkinetic-akinetic motility psychosis”, “excited-stuporous confusion psychosis” and “anxious-ecstatic delusional psychosis”. The concept of “phasic psychoses” was based on an evaluation of all phasic sicknesses diagnosed at Karl Kleist’s Neuropsychiatric Clinic at Goethe University, in  Frankfurt, Germany between 1938 and 1942 (Teichman  1990). (See also Leonhard’s phasic psychoses).   

Neele E. Die phasischen Psychosen mit Ihrem Erscheinungs – und Erbbild. Leipzig: J.A. Barth; 1949.

Teichman G. The influence of Karl Kleist on the nosology of Karl Leonhard’s nosology. Psychopathology 1990; 23: 267-76.

Thomas A. Ban
June 25, 2014