The focus of this study is to investigate the symptomatic aspects of manic-depressive illness in Korea. In this study the author tried to analyze the symptoms of 54 manic-depressive patients who were selected among 1868 inpatients admitted to Seoul National University Hospital from 1960 to 1967.
1. The ratio of M.D.I. to total patients treated furing the stated period was 2.8%, indicating remarkably lower incidence compaired to other researches in the past.
It may be that they have not reached mental hospitals because their sick role was not sufficiently recognized in the community as such.
2. There were 34 males and 20 females, and male to female ratio was 1.7:1.
3. The patients were devided into groups according to the age of onset of lst atack. The largest group had their lst onset between the ages of 20 to 30, after that age group of between 30 to 40. Generally, females tended to have their lst attack rather at younger age than males.
4. Depressive patients tended to stay shorter period of time in the hospital than manic patients. It is thought that electroconvulsive treatments for the depressive patients brought about rather rapid relief of symptoms.
5. The largest age group of all patients was in the 3rd decade and the next 2nd decade.
6. Their symptomes were classified into psychologic complaints and somatic ones.
7. Both elated and depressives suffered from bad mood, discomfort although a numbers of manics oppressed unplanned, irregular overactions.
8. In the depressives, author found that depressions were mixed with self-reproachful guilt closely related to Korean tradition and conventions, within highly cohesive family framework.
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