Catatonia

Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric condition that affects both behavior and motor function, and results in unresponsiveness in someone who otherwise appears to be awake. It manifests through a variety of symptoms that usually involve a lack of movement and communication, and also can include agitation, confusion, and restlessness

People with catatonia can experience a variety of symptoms. The most common symptom is stupor, which means that the person can’t move, speak, or respond to stimuli. However, some people with catatonia may exhibit excessive movement and agitated behavior.  

Doctors can diagnose someone as catatonic if they have any three of these signs:

  • Not responding to other people or their environment
  • Not speaking
  • Holding their body in an unusual position
  • Resisting people who try to adjust their body
  • Agitation
  • Repetitive, seemingly meaningless movement
  • Mimicking someone else’s speech
  • Mimicking someone else’s movements

Symptoms

Prevalence

Women have a higher risk of developing catatonia. The risk increases with age. Although catatonia has historically been associated with schizophrenia, psychiatrists now classify catatonia as its own disorder, which occurs in the context of other disorders. An estimated 10% of acutely ill psychiatric inpatients experience catatonia. Twenty percent of catatonic inpatients have schizophrenia diagnoses, while 45 percent have mood disorder diagnoses. Women with postpartum may experience catatonia. Other risk factors are cocaine use, low salt concentration in the blood, and the use of certain medications.

Prognosis

Catatonia can last anywhere from a few hours to weeks, months, or years. It can reoccur frequently for weeks to years after the initial episode. People typically respond quickly to catatonia treatments. If a person doesn’t respond to prescribed medications, a doctor may prescribe alternative medications until symptoms subside. People who undergo ECT have a high relapse rate for catatonia. Symptoms usually appear again within a year.

When to seek help

Treatment

Doctors usually treat catatonia with a kind of sedative called a benzodiazepine that’s often used to ease anxiety

Another treatment option is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). It sends electrical impulses to the person’s brain through electrodes placed on their head. (They’re given medicine to sleep through the procedure.) It might be recommended if sedatives don’t work, if the catatonia is severe, if the person has had catatonia before, or if quick action is needed to save someone’s life.