[Psychosomatic and somatopsychic aspects of myasthenia gravis. A critical review of the literature].

In an extensive literary abstract the up to now existing scientific research strategies and results concerning the psychosomatics of myasthenia gravis are introduced. While the pioneers of myasthenia-research already registered psychological disorders that were separated from differential diagnostic conversion neurosis, new studies show the noticeable high prevalence of psychopathological symptoms in myasthenia-patients. Besides monistic-somatic models, psychosomatic attempts of explanation were put forth in the past. Authors seem to agree at least with regard to psychological factors being able to influence symptom manifestation and course on a casuistic basis. Somatopsychic interdependencies seem to be of more significance, as it is stressed by coping-research. However controlled longitudinal studies lack yet, so far as to what degree psychosocial and somatic factors are clinically relevant with regard to coping with the disease. Perspectives for future research are given finally.