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March 20, 1961. DISTURBANCES OF EGO FUNCTIONS OF SPEECH AND ABSTRACT THINKING. Sylvan Keiser, M.D.
Dr. Keiser discussed three patients with impairment of speech and verbalization of abstract thinking. In all three cases, there was a fantasy that the self and breast are one, the self-image being fused with the female breast. The mothers of the three patients were seriously disturbed; they behaved in a bizarre and grossly exhibitionistic manner, frequently displaying their genitals to their sons. A genetic relationship between the fantasy and the exhibitionistic behavior of the mother is postulated. Because of the frequent display of the female genitalia, these patients had no opportunity to fantasy a penis on mother and thus to incorporate this maternal image without castration anxiety. Dr. Keiser contends that the trauma of repeated exposure of the female genitalia leads to the fusion fantasy which is a defense against castration and not merely a regression to orality. Since these patients had difficulty in forming an intrapsychic image of mother, the