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Catatonia is a syndrome of psychic and motoric disturbances. more...
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In the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) it is not recognized as a separate disorder, but is associated with psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia (catatonic type), bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other mental disorders, as well as drug abuse and/or overdose. It may also be seen in many medical disorders including infections (such as encephalitis), autoimmune disorders, focal neurologic lesions (including strokes), metabolic disturbances and abrupt or over rapid withdrawal from benzodiazepines. It can be an adverse reaction to prescribed medication. It bears similarity to conditions such as encephalitis lethargica and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. There are a variety of treatments available, and depending on the case, one or more drugs may be used, including antipsychotics and benzodiazepines.
Patients with catatonia may experience an extreme loss of motor ability or constant hyperactive motor activity. Catatonic patients will sometimes hold rigid poses for hours and will ignore any external stimuli. Patients with catatonic excitement can die of exhaustion if not treated. Patients may also show stereotyped, repetitive movements. They may show specific types of movement known as "waxy flexibility" in which they maintain positions after being placed in them by someone else, or gegenhalten, in which they resist movement in proportion to the force applied by the examiner. They may repeat meaningless phrases or speak only to repeat what the examiner says.
Clinicians frequently fail to diagnose catatonia. There has recently been renewed research interest in the disorder, along with recommendations that it be recognized as a disorder in itself. Some believe it is relatively ignored due to the fact that the recommended treatments are drugs which are available in inexpensive, generic forms and therefore no pharmaceutical corporation has financial incentive to sponsor education for physicians or to advertise treatment for the disorder.
According to the DSM-IV, the "With catatonic features" specifier can be applied if the clinical picture is dominated by at least two of the following:
motoric immobility as evidenced by catalepsy (including waxy flexibility) or stupor;;
excessive motor activity (purposeless, not influenced by external stimuli);;
extreme negativism (motiveless resistance to all instructions or maintenance of a rigid posture against attempts to be moved) or mutism;;
pecularities of voluntary movement as evidenced by posturing, stereotyped movements, prominent mannerisms, or prominent grimacing;;
echolalia or echopraxia.;
Read more at Wikipedia.org
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