[Disorders of memory and consciousness in endogenous--depressed patients during antidepressive drug treatment (author's transl)].

Besides the well known somnolent and almost delirious states which always imply different mnestic and gnostic disorders also other drug-induced side-effects and complications can be observed during antidepressive treatment. Mnestic blackouts which clinically are more or less inconspicuous but which are always discovered retrospectively occur more often than they are documented. They are rather related to disturbances of engrammation depending on psychotropic drugs than to a disturbance and narrowing of the state of vigilance and consciousness. In order to exemplify a serious psychopathological complication of the altogether rare amential-amnestical syndrom, a casuistic report is presented of a case of a regulated semiconscious state during two weeks, a case of an amential-amnestical attack, and a case of ictal amnestical episode (Ictus amnesticus). The possible etiology and the observed disorders of memory and consciousness are discussed. The following common pathogenetic factors should be considered though the presented three cases have a different psychopathology and probably a different etiology: (1) The specific pharmacodynamics of the individual antidepressive drug, (2) disease related factors inclusing an alteration of the ability of conceiving and of the process of engrammation, (3) an individual vulnerability of neuronal synaptic systems.