Psychiatry in neurological practice

In a prospective study of the 235 patients referred for neurological consultation, a clinical appraisal was made of the presence of a significant psychiatric element, either as the presenting problem, or aggravating the presenting problem, or as an unrelated feature. In 8.9% of patients referred for neurological consultation, the primary problem was anxiety; in 23.9% anxiety was an aggravating factor to the primary neurological problem; and in 9.4% anxiety, either acute or chronic, was present as an unrelated problem. In 5.5% of cases depression was the primary problem; in 6.4% it was an aggravating factor; and in 3% unrelated to the presenting neurological disorder. Other problems identified were psychoses (0.9%), sociopathic personality disorder (0.4%), dementia (4.2%) and mental retardation (1.3%).