What is catatonic schizophrenia like?
What is catatonic schizophrenia like?
catatonic schizophrenia, rare severe mental disorder characterized by striking motor behaviour, typically involving either significant reductions in voluntary movement or hyperactivity and agitation. In some cases, the patient may remain in a state of almost complete immobility, often assuming statuesque positions.
What is excited catatonia?
Excited catatonia is a less common presentation in which patients develop prolonged periods of psychomotor agitation. Once thought to be a subtype of schizophrenia, catatonia is now recognized to occur with a broad spectrum of medical and psychiatric illnesses, particularly affective disorders.
Is catatonic behavior a positive or negative symptom?
Catatonic motor behaviors are a type of disturbed behavior (and a negative as opposed to a positive symptom) that sometimes occurs when schizophrenia goes untreated.
What can you do for someone with catatonic schizophrenia?
Typically, the first step in treating catatonic schizophrenia is medication. Your doctor might prescribe lorazepam (Ativan) — a benzodiazepine — injected either intramuscularly (IM) or intravenously (IV). Other benzodiazepines include: alprazolam (Xanax)
What can cause catatonic schizophrenia?
Causes of catatonic schizophrenia Most likely, it is caused by a combination of genetics and environmental triggers, such as stress. Experts believe that an imbalance of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, is involved in the onset of schizophrenia.
What is manic catatonia?
11. Delirious mania is an excited form of catatonia, characterized by restless movements, talkativeness, agitation, frenzy, disorientation, and confusion.
How do you assess catatonia?
Commonly observed signs in catatonia include the following:
- Immobility (hypokinesis or akinesis)
- Mutism (absence of speech)
- Stupor (decreased alertness and response to stimuli)
- Negativism (resistance to all instructions or all attempts to be moved)
- Waxy flexibility (slight, even resistance to positioning by examiner)
