A survey of “subclinical klinefelter's syndrome” patients

Abstract

Nineteen cases with Klinefelter's syndrome were examined by clinical psychology tests (AIS, Rorschach test, Y-G and TPI) and psychiatric interview (EEG). Six of these were dosed with testosterone depo, and EEG and W AIS were examined before and after this dosage. After that, changes of the cognitive style were studied. Then some findings were reported as compared with past literatures. The nineteen cases were so-called “subclinical cases”, because they did not suffer from any psychiatric signs. But all psychological tests showed unbalanced IQ profiles and neurotic or organic signs, and EEGs were abnormal or borderline in most cases. (1) The results of the testosterone-depo dosage were as follows: EEG showed the aggravation such as increased θ wave; W AIS showed significant increase in both Total and Performance IQ levels. Thus, paradoxical results were evident. (2) In this way, the effect of the testosterone therapy revealed a good change of the psychological aspects of the disease, and this observation was verified by improvement in character and behavior of these patients. This structural change of the intelligence is extraordinary with Klinefelter's syndrome, and will be further reported after conducting more examinations of the relations between this psychological test and hormonal data. (3) No definite answer can be given yet about the “premorbid character” and the character after the change by the disease. However, this method throws light on the old and new problems of Klinefelter's syndrome. If the Klinefelter's syndrome is a clinical entity, it is possible to pattern the character of the patients, and this approach leads to “a study of Schizophrenia”. In other words, this interdisciplinary study between psychiatry and urology brings out patternization of personality aspects, which in turn leads us to survey of “What is Schizophrenia?”. (4) On the part of the patients, this medical service develops their ability to understand their disease, so the patients are relieved of unnecessary worry, and can understand the states of their illness more clearly. This approach thus demonstrates that the psychological tests are useful not only in psychiatry per se, but also other fields of medicine. © 1993, The Showa University Society. All rights reserved.