In the present section the writer proposes to deal at length with the symptomatology, which is the psychic equivalent of those physical states of the cerebrum which are the necessary precursors of dissolution of the cerebral neurones. There being no suitable word in use for the description of this symptomatology, and it not appearing desirable to coin a new one for the purpose, the term “mental confusion” will be employed to connote, in the broadest sense, the mental symptoms which occur in association with certain pathological states of the cortical neurones which may be followed by the recovery or by a more or less extensive dissolution of these elements.

Hypnoanalysis is becoming more and more a recognized psychotherapeutic procedure. It is an analytical type of therapy which utilizes the hypnotic state to reduce the great time and cost of formal psychoanalysis. As with any new form of treatment, there is great variation in the techniques used by different authors (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). This variation ranges from such extremes as attempts to imitate formal psychoanalysis with a hypnotized patient, to mere question and answer interviews interspersed with hypnotic suggestion.

The present study examines two psychotic groups from the point of view of personality and symptomatological dimensions. It is conceivable that illnesses as devastating and widespread in their effects as the psychoses may complicate and blur relationships which seemed rather clear-cut among neurotics. The thesis of this study is, however, that Caine's Hysteroid-Obsessoid questionnaire (Martin and Caine, 1963) will continue to behave reliably and to account for much of the variance of other measures among the partially integrated psychotics, such as the paranoid and melancholic subjects to be examined here.

The academic department of psychiatry at Maastricht University is situated not only in the university hospital, but crucially also in nearly all the affiliated mental health institutions in a region with a source population of 650 000. This set-up is funded by a central government grant, allowing academic personnel to work in affiliated mental health institutions. Research projects are carried out on the basis of 4-year PhD contracts, or, in the case of doctors with specialist training, through research psychiatrist appointments in the regional academic psychiatric network. Strong links exist with the Institute of Psychiatry in London.