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Lycanthropy is interpreted by the authors as a delusion in the sense of the self-identity disorder defined by Scharfetter. It is mainly found in affective and schizophrenic disorders but can be a symptom of other psychiatric disorders as well. Psychodynamically this kind of delusion can be interpreted as an attempt to project suppressed affects, especially with aggressive or sexual content, into the figure of an animal. Psychotherapy and/or neuroleptic medication can be effective.

This study investigated the clinical use and safety of amantadine in acute mania in an on-off-on design. Amantadine was augmented (200 mg / day) to pre-treatment strategies for 6 days, stopped for 6 days, and administered for another 6 days (on-offon) in 10 manic inpatients. Manic symptoms were reduced in the fi rst study period (on) by 45.8 % [Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)]. Eight patients also fi nished the second period (off) which was not paralleled by any further reduction of mania. The third study period (on) was fi nished by seven patients with a further decrease of about 61.5 % . The overall reduction from baseline after 18 days was 79.2 % in this group. Amantadine augmentation reduced severe hypomania and moderate mania in BDV-infected bipolar I or II patients and was very well tolerated, especially no psychotic symptoms were observed.

The belief to be transformed into an animal is named Lycanthropy. "Zooanthropismus" is the German equivalent. Three case reports raised the question how this phenomenon, in our cases to be transformed into a frog, a bee or a wolf/dog, can be interpreted in a psychopathological and diagnostic regard. Is it pathognomonic for a special disease? With the three case reports and a survey of the literature this paper deals with Lycanthropy trying to put this perhaps neglected topic back into the focus of psychiatric interest and place it in psychopathology.