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A Case of Insane Automatism?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Rosemarie V. Cope
Affiliation:
Midland Centre for Forensic Psychiatry, All Saints' Hospital, Lodge Road, Birmingham B18 5SD
W. Martin Donovan
Affiliation:
Midland Centre for Forensic Psychiatry, All Saints' Hospital, Lodge Road, Birmingham B18 5SD

Extract

Epileptic automatism is now believed to be a rare disorder, and only a very small number of cases have been described (Knox, 1968; Gunn and Fenton, 1971; and Gunn, 1978) in which aggressive behaviour has occurred during automatism. There are important legal issues involved if a serious crime is committed and insane automatism is given as the defence.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1979 

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References

Bartholomew, A. A., Milte, K. L. & Galbally, F. (1978) Correspondence. British Journal of Psychiatry, 133, 564.Google Scholar
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