Leonard was able to separate different schizophrenic disorders and conditions and distinguished them into their own unique syndromes. Current data tends to support a central nervous system aetiology of Schizophrenia, many researchers suggested abandoning the term schizophrenia and replace it with a more generic and broad term: dementia. However, based off of Leonard’s discoveries, there has been information in favor of not altering the term schizophrenia, as there are so many variations of that syndrome.

Leonard’s contribution to Schizophrenia

- anxiety-blissfulness psychosis: similar to agitated depression where individuals may have overwhelming anxiety, paranoid ideas of source, and hallucination)
- confusion psychosis: similar to manic episodes where thought disorder is present (accompanied alongside anxiety, distractibility, and speech incoherence)
- motility psychosis: changes to psychomotor activity (akinetic)

University of Illinois at Chicago

A unique disorder that is not explicitly stated in the international classification system. Cycloid marginal psychosis describes cases where a patient does meet the standard criteria of bipolar affective disorder or schizophrenia. Such cases include short cases of acute psychotic illnesses (with recovery in between periods). The course is episodic (similar to manic depression), while the acute features are psychotic (similar to schizophrenia). 

What is  Cycloid Psychosis?

Yadav, D. S. (2010, January). Cycloid Psychosis: Perris criteria revisited. Indian journal of psychological medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3137814/ 

Cycloid Psychosis Revisited

Karl Leonhard’s three forms of cycloid psychosis

- an acute psychotic condition occurring for the very first time in patients from the ages 15-50
- a sudden onset alongside a rapid change  from a state of good health to an intense psychotic condition within a couple hours/few days
- has at least four of the following conditions: confusion of some degree, hallucinations, ecstasy, mood-incongruent delusions, motility disturbances (akinetic/hyperkinetic), concern with death, mood swings
- symptoms may change frequently

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