Abstract
Two groups of patients with delusional illnesses (previous paranoics and previous ‘late schizophrenics’ with delusional syndromes) with similar backgrounds, were followed up after many years and were re-examined in the same way. They were compared with each other as regards further developments of delusional formations and their psycho-pathological determinants. In the group of ‘late schizophrenics’ the delusions disappeared more frequently than in the groups of paranoics, and the delusional productivity diminished more often. On examination of various psychopathological characteristics and their influence on the further development of delusional formations (core syndromes of the general psychiatric symptomatology, appearance of affective changes, further development of the delusional productivity) only tendencies are shown, never obligatory relationships. The order of the relationships which we found remains uncertain; it is not likely that we are dealing with relationships of the first order.