Trauma y Amnesia Disociativa: La visión de Pierre Janet.

Abstract

The present article gives emphasis in reconsidering the work of Pierre Janet in trauma and dissociative amnesia, as important aspects for the contemporary study of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this non systematic historical review is to explain the following ideas under Janet's perspective: a) the concept of fixed idea, denominated in our contemporary nomenclature as trauma, b) to describe the different types of amnesia described by Janet and its relation with DSM clasiffication for this penomenon, and c) to show through the analysis of a clinical case described by Janet, how a concordance exists between the current denomination of complex PTSD and what Janet nominated “one of the forms in which hysteria can presents after an emotional accident”. This article is mainly based in some original chapters from Janet's work published in French.