Patient of "psychotic depression" who digested large quantity of water and subsequently developed grand mal seizure and serum sodium levels of less than 121 meq/litre is presented. The physiology of psychogenic polydypsia and related disorders is reviewed. The relation of this disorder to the use of phenothiazines and antidepressants is considered.

We studied two neonates fed diluted formula and excessive water who developed hyponatraemic convulsions; treatment included intravenous hypertonic saline and water restriction. Educating mothers is important to stop recurrences.

with evidence of the self-inflicted nature of their lesions and, when suspected, usually reject offers of psychiatric assistance and discharge themselves. There is no easy way of helping them and there are normally insufficient grounds for compulsory admission to psychiatric hospitals. However, they can at least be protected from the results of their own behaviour by dissemination of informatio...

A 19-year-old female schizophrenic with self-induced water intoxication is described. Factors of pathogenic significance included primary polydipsia and non-maximal urinary diluting capacity.

Plasma sodium and osmolality were determined in 80 adult epileptic patients receiving chronic treatment with carbamazepine and in 50 control patients treated with other anticonvulsant drugs. Mean plasma osmolality was significantly lower in the carbamazepine-treated patients but mean plasma sodium did not differ in the two groups. Hyponatraemia was found in five of the carbamazine-treated patie...