[Neuropsychiatric and electroencephalographic studies of the course of patients accidentally struck by lightning].

Five patient (one adult and four children) hit by lightning strokes were examined clinically and electroencephalographically. One child died immediately after the accident. For the four survivors, data are available which were collected during several years' examinations. It was possible to confirm the results of previous investigations which showed that pathologic EEG changes can be associated with a weak neuropsychiatric symptomatology following the gradual disappearance of the acute lightning-stroke syndrome and can be observed even in the case of freedom from complaints and symptoms. Finally, the authors also deal with the problems associated with the making of statements by medical experts.