20 cases with psychiatric disorder occurring after subarachnoid haemorrage were studied. 70% had a research diagnostic criteria diagnosis of major depressive disorder, most had signs of persisting organic brain damage. 2 committed suicide & 2 made a full recovery from the psychiatric disorder. There were no significant association between the laterality of damage & the subsequent development of major depressive disorder. Middle cerebral artery haemorrage was over-represented in the sample.