catatonia

(noun)

A severe psychiatric condition characterized by a tendency to remain in a rigid state of stupor for long periods of time, punctuated by short periods of extreme agitation.

Related Terms

Examples of catatonia in the following topics:

  • The Schizophrenia Spectrum

    • The spectrum of psychotic disorders includes schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, and catatonia.
    • Instead, schizophrenia is now understood as existing along a spectrum of psychotic disorders that include schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, and catatonia.
    • Broadly speaking, catatonia is any condition of abnormal motor activity thought to be caused by a psychiatric disorder.
    • In the DSM-5, catatonia is not recognized as its own disorder but rather is listed as a symptom of other psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression.

  • Electroconvulsive Therapy

    • It is currently used in the treatment of major depressive disorder, mania, schizophrenia, and catatonia.
    • ECT is generally a second-line treatment for people with catatonia who don't respond to other treatments, but is a first-line treatment for severe or life-threatening catatonia.