Understanding Catatonia: Beyond Schizophrenia – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

2023-09-27 20:00:00

Catatonia has long been considered one of the clinical signs of schizophrenia. Research over the past few decades has shown that other mental disorders can cause catatonia in a person without schizophrenia.

Catatonia was first defined by Karl Kahlbaum in 1874. In 1913, Eugen Bleuler claimed that catatonia was the result of schizophrenia. According to him, a person suffering from schizophrenia would sink into catatonia in order to attenuate their unpleasant memories through muteness, stupor, rigidity, refusal to obey orders. It was, in Bleuler’s opinion, a way of escaping reality. Following these first discoveries, catatonia was long classified as schizophrenia.. Only recently have doctors established that catatonia may be linked to other mental disorders.

It is quoi the schizophrenia catatonic?

According to the study Are we witnessing the disappearance of catatonic schizophrenia ? (1), more than a third of people with schizophrenia show clinical signs of catatonia at some point in their lives. Researchers indicate that this is why it is essential to regularly monitor schizophrenic patients, in order to identify abnormal movements and types of communication suggestive of catatonia as early as possible. Indeed, schizophrenia is often treated with antipsychotic medications. However, these same medications worsen the clinical signs of catatonia and can even cause the appearance of a form of malignant catatonia, which is potentially fatal. The occurrence of malignant catatonia in a schizophrenic patient is therefore an absolute medical emergency.

Mental disorders that can cause catatonia

Today, doctors know that catatonia is not caused solely by schizophrenia. Other mental disorders are linked to catatonia, including bipolar disorder,autistic spectrum disorder, major depressive disorder, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Psychiatric disorders combining several mental illnesses can also be the cause of catatonic syndrome. In addition, researchers have also established that causes and pathologies that have nothing to do with mental disorders can also be linked to catatonia, including brain damage, autoimmune diseases or neurodegenerative pathologies.

What symptom can be observed in severe cases of catatonia associated with mental disorders?

Catatonia is not just an attack of hallucination, motor immobility, stupor, increased negativism. It can present itself in this form, therefore less serious. On the other hand, when the serious stage comes, certain symptoms are more aggressive both for the subject and for their immediate environment. In this regard, we observe symptoms similar to dystonia, blood pressure disorders, hypersalivation (which may seem confusing to those around you), profuse sweating, cyanosis of the extremities (at this level, you must intervene quickly because this might reflect a lack of oxygen in the blood. Heart attacks can be recurrent). Finally, the last serious symptom may be edema of the lower limbs.

Source (1) : National Library of Medicine

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