Catatonic Syndromes

Catatonic syndromes occur with a predominance of motor disorders - stupor or excitation, often succeeding each other. Most often observed in schizophrenia, but can also occur with symptomatic and organic psychosis.

Catatonic stupor is manifested by immobility, increased muscle tone, complete silence (mutism). In some cases, the patient retains the position given to him for a long time (wax flexibility), in others any attempt to change the position of the patient causes his strong resistance (negativism), and sometimes the patient resists attempts to feed him.

Catatonic excitement is an absurd, dumb behavior; Is expressed by anger, grimacing, unmotivated laughter, meaningless stereotyped movements, repetition of words and movements of others. Patients are impulsive, aggressive, easily fall into a state of rage, suddenly jump up, try to hit. Catatonic syndromes are divided into onyroid and lucid syndromes. One-ore catatonia proceeds with the phenomena of either excitation or stupor with waxy flexibility and is characterized by a one -ieroid obscuration of consciousness (see Confusion of consciousness). Lucatic (ie, bright, without a cloudage of consciousness), catatonia proceeds with the phenomena of impulsive excitement or stupor with negativism and numbness, accompanied by a sharp muscle tension with a prolonged retention of the same posture, often intrauterine.