Resources on What is Catatonia
Catatonia in General
Scholarly Articles
2023
Report of the clinical presentation, course, and treatment outcomes in patients presenting with secondary catatonia in a general hospital setting.
Vaidya BP et al. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
2023
Review of the changes in the incidence of catatonia and possible underlying causes. Recommends the establishment of an international society and a journal dedicated to the study of catatonia.
Ungvari GS et al. World Journal of Psychiatry
2023
Case report of a 20-year-old male who presented with acute onset of catatonic symptoms in the absence of any preexisting psychiatric disorder.
Singh A., Bhalla, JK. Indian Journal of Private Psychiatry
2022
Systematic review of historical and modern German and English texts focusing on catatonic phenomena, published from 1800 to 1900.
Hirjak D et al. Schizophrenia Research
2021
Caring for the Patient with Catatonia (Abstract)
Review of identification, treatment, and prevention of Catatonia. Catatonia needs to be considered whenever a person does not engage with the world.
Heckers S, Walthers S JAMA Psychiatry
2021
ECT-responsive catatonia includes neuroleptic malignant syndrome, delirious mania, self injurious behaviors in autism, and limbic encephalitis.
Fink, Max MD The Journal of ECT
2021
An overview of pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, complications and risk factors. Recognition that early treatment is associated with better outcomes.
Edinoff AN et al. Neurology International
2020
Catatonia revived: a unique syndrome updated (Abstract)
Catatonia is becoming more recognized clinically and in ongoing research. Unresolved is the diagnosis and treatment of catatonia in the setting of delirium.
Mormando C and Francis A. International Review of Psychiatry
2018
2018
Catatonia has frequently been reported in systemic lupus erythematosus.
.Boeke A. et al. Psychosomatics
2016
Review - Physicians should maintain high level of suspicion for catatonia in patients experiencing an acute psychiatric illness. The wide range of psychomotor abnormalities are not present in all patients. Most patients respond to lorazepam or ECT. The use of antipsychotics should be avoided.
Rasmussen SA et al. World Journal of Psychiatry.
2016
Description of the catatonic syndrome, classification issues, clinical presentation, and suspected pathophysiology.
Walther S & Strik W. CNS Spectrums
2015
Summarizes current knowledge related to the diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology, and management of catatonia in the medically ill population.
Denysenko L et al.
2012
This review has the aim of improving early recognition and effective treatment of catatonia, critically going through its historical descriptions and revisiting its nosographical collocation in current classification systems.
Bartolommei N. et al. Journal of Psychopathology
2012
Review of the history of catatonia and it’s present status
Fink, Max. Acta Psychiatrica Scandivanica
2011
Exploratory chart review of the phenomenology, clinical profile and treatment response of subjects admitted to the psychiatry inpatient with catatonia.
Dutt A et al. Indian Journal of Psychiatry
2010
Catatonia is a distinct neuropsychiatric syndrome that is becoming more recognized clinically. Treatment with benzodiazepines or ECT leads to a dramatic and rapid response. What is the role of antipsychotic agents in treatment and potential adverse effects.
Francis A. Current Psychiatry Reports
2010
Catatonia is readily diagnosable, verifiable by a lorazepam challenge test, and rapidly treatable with high doses of lorazepam or ECT. It is time to place catatonia into its own home in the psychiatric classification.
Fink M et al. Schizophrenia Bulletin
2009
2009
History, recognition, different forms, appropriate treatments, and prevalence of catatonia.
Fink M, Taylor MA. Archives of General Psychiatry
Clinical presentation of catatonia, subtypes and differential diagnosis, neurobiology of catatonic symptoms, diagnosis, underlying cause, and various treatments.
Daniels J. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
2008
Catatonia: A Review (Abstract)
Review: Catatonia is a common neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by the presence of various motor signs and symptoms. Classifications are based on the type of presentation and the duration of symptoms.
Weder N et al. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry
2007
Overview of catatonia, including clinical features and different types, differential diagnoses, use of rating scales, management, prognosis, and the association between catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
Rajagopal S. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment
Books
2020
Learning About Catatonia, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, and Serotonin Syndrome: A Programmed Text
Stern T (Ed) MGH Psychiatry Academy
2018
The Madness of Fear: A History of Catatonia
Shorter E & Fink M Oxford University Press eBooks
2015
Catatonia on the Consultation Liaison Service and Other Clinical Settings
Carroll BT (Ed) and Spiegel DR (Ed) Nova Biomedical
2010
Catatonia: An Analysis and Examination of the Validity of Current Diagnostic Trends
Jinkerson J and Morris M VDM Verlag Dr. Miller
2004
Catatonia: From Psychopathology to Neurobiology
Caroff SN, Mann SC, Francis A American Psychiatric Association Publishing
2003
Catatonia: A Clinician's Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
Fink M & Taylor M Cambridge University Press
Websites and Presentations
2023
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
2022
Royal College of Psychiatrists
2020
Celano, CM Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy
Videos
2023
Francis, A. UNM Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Podcasts
2017
Psych Essentials, Episode 16
Fear
2022
The dominant theme of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in Catatonia were overwhelming anxiety, fear, and depression.
Zingela Z et al. BMC Psychology
2021
Initial data suggests a correlation between episodes of intense fear associated with trauma (including psychological) and PTSD and some forms of catatonic responses.
Biles TR. et al. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
2021
Pediatric patient had two traumatic experiences which led to catatonia. Improved with benzodiazepines and ECT.
Ahmed GK et al. Frontiers in Psychiatry
2019
Authors suggest that it would be of interest to try benzodiazepines in resignation syndrome in children seeking asylum because of the symptoms of stupor, mutism, and negativism.
von Knorring, AL & Hultcrantz, E. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
2017
Seeing catatonia as behaviors sustained by severe fear offers a mechanism that encourages study while applying effective treatments, and suggests the mechanism by which sedatives relieve catatonia.
Fink M.
2004
Catatonia, long viewed as a motor disorder, may be better understood as a fear response. It may represent a common “end state” response to feelings of imminent doom and can serve as a template to understand other psychiatric disorders.
Moskowitz, AK Psychological Review
Prevalence
2022
The range of prevalence ranges from less than 10% to just above 60%. Diagnosis may be influenced by the screening tools used.
Zingela Z et al. PLoS One
2021
Incidence of catatonia is probably an underestimate of the true incidence because most cases are not recognised by clinicians. Clinicians need to be vigilant for its presentations and cognizant of its various forms and etiologies, even in youth.
Rogers JP et al . Psychological Medicine
2021
More 1/2 of catatonic patients may go undiagnosed on admission, and 1/3 remain undiagnosed after a psychiatric consultation
Almeida M. et al. The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders
2021
Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale has high inter-rater reliability with high correlation coefficients, while DSM-5 had deficiencies in screening for catatonia.
Zingela Z et al. International Journal of Mental Health Systems
2019
Catatonia can be seen in up to 20% of patients with autism spectrum disorders.
Beach S. & Francis A. Psychiatric Times
2018
A retrospective chart review using DSM-5 criteria to diagnose catatonia in medical inpatients between 2011 and 2013. Catatonia appears to be frequently under-diagnosed in the general hospital.
Llesuy JR et al. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
2018
Catatonia is not infrequent in older adults in acute general medical settings. Nonpsychiatric causes of catatonia in older adults in acute general medical settings is 1/3 of all cases and associated with delirium in 50%.
Serra-Mestres J and Jaimes-Albornoz W Geriatrics
2017
Catatonia is a clinically and epidemiologically relevant condition that occurs throughout several mental and medical conditions. Its prevalence has not decreased over time and does not seem to depend on different rating scales/criteria.
Solmi M et al. Schizophrenia Bulletin
2016
Catatonia occurs in 9-17% of patients with acute psychiatric conditions.
Rasmussen SA et al. World Journal of Psychiatry
2015
Current data supports catatonia is common and often severe. Prompt identification and treatment can produce a robust improvement in most cases.
Wilcox JA & Duffy PR Behavioral Sciences
2009
History, recognition, different forms, appropriate treatments, and prevalence of catatonia.
Fink M & Taylor MA. Archives of General Psychiatry
2003
About 90,000 cases of catatonia occur each year in U.S. hospitals. Prevalence among psychiatric patients ranges from 7.6% to 38%.
Taylor MA & Fink M The American Journal of Psychiatry
2003
Reported prevalence of catatonia of 5.5% among new intakes at a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic.
Thakur A et al. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Post and Peripartum
2023
Postpartum may be a period of high risk for catatonia and obstetric factors, such as birth complications, may be relevant.
Delvi A et al. Schizophrenia Research
2022
There is a need for greater awareness and additional research on catatonia during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Csihi L et al. Schizophrenia Research
Catatonia in Older Adults
2022
Systematic literature review. Catatonia in older patients is highly prevalent and tends to have a multifactorial etiology. Symptomatic treatment is safe and effective.
Jaimes-Albornoz W et al. World Journal of Psychiatry
2018
Catatonia is not infrequent in older adults in acute general medical settings. Clinicians should have an increased awareness of catatonia to implement appropriate treatment.
Serra-Mestres J & Jaimes-Albornoz W Geriatrics
Catatonia in Children and Adolescents
2023
Three cases to illustrate the presentation, diagnostic evaluation, varied etiology, and management of catatonia in adolescents.
Gupta M et al. International Journal of Academic Medicine and Pharmacy
2023
Examination of the influence of age on potential drug safety signals of catatonia among the pediatric population.
Merino D et al. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
2022
Diagnostic overshadowing clouding the efficient recognition of pediatric catatonia: a case series (Abstract)
Three pediatric patients where catatonia was erroneously attributed to existing pathologies that lead to a prolonged disease state. More rigorous education will improve recognition and treatment of catatonia.
Reinfeld S & Gill P CNS Spectrums
2022
Catatonia is rarely diagnosed in pediatric patients in general hospitals but is associated with significant and severe psychiatric and medical comorbidities.
Luccarelli J et al. Frontiers in Psychiatry
2022
Catatonia in a 16-year-old male with first onset psychosis successfully managed with lorazepam and clozapine. Engaging effectively with patient's family is important to identify and manage catatonia in children.
Vargas JG et al. Psychiatry Research Case Reports
2020
Review of the literature on catatonia, focusing on children and adolescents.
Remberk B et al. Psychiatria Polska
2018
Advances in child and adolescent catatonia research have offeredimprovements in understanding catatonia and in new therapeutic opportunities. It's important to direct patients to centers that have developed specific expertise.
Benarous X et al. Schizophrenia Research
2018
Pediatric catatonia is potentially lethal yet can be effectively treated if accurately identified early in its course. It should be regularly considered by all clinicians who care for children and adolescents.
Sorg EM et al. Psychosomatics
2016
Resignation syndrome (RS) is a long-standing disorder affecting psychologically traumatized children and adolescents in the midst of a strenuous and lengthy migration process. RS should be perceived as catatonia is a hypothesis that should be tested.
Sallin K et al. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
2012
Catatonia is frequently missed among children and adolescents receiving psychiatric treatment and are not receiving effective treatments. Agitated forms of catatonia (with aggression) are common among a subgroup of psychiatric patients who are at a higher risk.
Ghaziuddin N et al. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
2012
Catatonia in children and adolescents is associated with a high prevalence of medical conditions. Not acknowledging this may greatly delay the diagnosis of medically related catatonia and deny patients treatment opportunities.
Consoli A et al. Schizophrenia Research
2012
The literature supports the view that deprivation, abuse, and trauma can precipitate catatonia in children and adolescents. Catatonic symptoms may be falsely attributed to other disorders or syndromes.
Dhossche DM et al. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
2010
Pediatric catatonia may be underdiagnosed. Current diagnostic criteria of catatonia in children and adolescents diagnosed with childhood disintegrative disorder, Kleine-Levin syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, tic disorder, and autoimmune encephalitis.
Dhossche DM & Wachtel LE Pediatric Neurology
2010
Catatonia is a treatable syndrome. It occurs in children and adolescents as well as adults. Benzodiazepines and ECT are effective treatments for children, adolescents, and adults. These findings suggest that catatonia should be an independent category in psychiatric classification.
Dhossche DM et al. Primary Psychiatry
2009
Catatonia is one of the most severe psychiatric syndromes in adolescents and associated with a 60-fold increased risk of premature death, including suicide, when compared to the general population of same sex and age.
Cornic F et al. Schizophrenia Research
2008
Literature review of all the cases of organic catatonia in children and adolescents from January 1969 to June 2007. Catatonic syndromes can be observed in children and adolescents in association with organic diseases.
Lahutte B et al. Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
2003
Incidence and phenomenology of catatonia in a child and adolescent population.
Thakur A et al. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
2002
Literature review: Catatonia is not rare in child and adolescent populations. Clinicians should evaluate for its presence using rating scales and medical examination. If suspected, the lorazepam challenge should be considered an invaluable tool for confirming its presence.