[Encephalitis lethargica--a neuropsychiatric disease].

Encephalitis lethargica is presented as an exemplaric neuropsychiatric illness. Its history, the symptoms and the diagnostics, as well as its pathology and therapy are illuminated. Finally, specific problems and questions with regard to encephalitis lethargica are discussed: the question of a viral genesis and of a probable reappearance of the apparently disappeared encephalitis lethargica, the problems concerning the account for the neurological and psychiatric symptoms, and the question of role and function of the basal ganglia.