Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-19T22:37:10.154Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Electroencephalography in Catatonic Disorders Due to General Medical Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Brendan T. Carroll ,
Harold W. Goforth ,
Nashaat N. Boutros ,
Theodore J. Anfinson  and
Lisa Werner
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In an effort to aid the clinician in the differential diagnosis of catatonic states, we assessed the nature of electroencephalography (EEG) findings in both medical and psychiatric forms of catatonia. An exhaustive review of the literature on catatonia due to a general medical condition (CDGMC) was performed in addition to a prospective review of catatonic patients at The Ohio State University Neuwpsychiatric Facility.

A total of 105 patients had documented, specific clinical and EEG information, with neurologic conditions accounting for 82.8% of case reports. Results from the case series of 31 episodes of catatonia indicate that there is an increased likelihood of diffuse slowing in patients with CDGMC versus psychiatric catatonia. Given the observed rate of abnormalities, EEG is an important but underutilized tool in the differential diagnosis of catatonic disorders.

Type
Grand Rounds
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 3 , Issue 2: Pathophysiologic and Clinical Progress in Parkinson's Disease , February 1998 , pp. 57 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Kahlbaum, KL (1873); Levij, Y, Pridon, T, trans. Catatonia. Baltimore, Md: Johns Hopkins University Press; 1983.Google Scholar
2.Taylor, MA. Catatonia: a review of a behavioral neurologic syndrome. Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, and Behavioral Neurology. 1992;3:48–72.Google Scholar
3.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1994.Google Scholar
4.Gelenberg, AJ. The catatonic syndrome. Lancet. 1976;1:1339–1341.Google Scholar
5.Barnes, MP, Saunders, M, Walls, TJ, et al.The syndrome of Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1986;49:991–996.Google Scholar
6.Carroll, BT. Catatonia on the consultation-liaison service. Psychosomatics. 1992;33:310–315.Google Scholar
7.Fein, S, McGrath, MG. Problems in diagnosing bipolar disorder in catatonic patients. J Clin Psychiatry. 1990;51:203–205.Google Scholar
8.Popkin, MK, Tucker, GJ. “Secondary” and drug-induced mood, anxiety, psychotic, catatonic, and personality disorders: a review of the literature. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1992;4:369–385.Google Scholar
9.Walter, WG. Electroencephalography in cases of mental disorder. J Ment Sci. 1942;88:110–121.Google Scholar
10.Abenson, MH. EEGs in chronic schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry. 1970;116:421–425.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Small, JG, Small, IF. EEG spikes in non-epileptic psychiatric patients. Dis Nerv Syst. 1967;28:523–525.Google Scholar
12.Rosebush, PI, Hildebrand, AM, Furlong, BG, et al.Catatonic syndrome in a general psychiatric inpatient population: frequency, clinical population, and response to lorazepam. J Clin Psychiatry. 1990;51:347–362.Google Scholar
13.Ellington, RJ. The incidence of EEG abnormality among patients with mental disorders of apparently non-organic origin. Am J Psychiatry. 1954;11:263–272.Google Scholar
14.Hughes, JR. EEG in Clinical Practice. Boston, Mass: Butterworths; 1982.Google Scholar
15.Lohr, JB, Wisniewski, AA. Catatonia. In: Lohr, JB, Wisniewski, AA, eds. Movement Disorders, A Neuropsychiatric Approach. Baltimore, Md: Guilford Press; 1987:201–227.Google Scholar
16.Ainsworth, P. A case of “lethal eatatonia” in a 14-year-old girl. Br J Psychiatry. 1987;150:110–112.Google Scholar
17.Arnott, G, Lehembre, MMP, Lambert, P, et al.Porphyrie aigue intermittente a manifestations cerebrales: convulsions generalisees avec anomalies E.E.G. focales dans un cas-etat catatonique dans un autre cas. Lille Med. 1972;17:857–862.Google Scholar
18.Atri, PB, Julius, DA. Maprotiline hydrochloride associated with a clinical state of catatonic stupor and epileptic encephalogram. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1984;4:207–209.Google Scholar
19.Belfer, MI, d'Autremont, CC. Catatonia-like symptomatology. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1971;24:119–120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Bruni, B, Carlini, M, Gamba, S, et al.Catatonia with high CSF lactate in a case of diabetes with associated conditions. Acta Diabeta Lat. 1980;17:273–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.Cairns, H. Disturbances of consciousness with lesions of the brain-stem and diencephalon. Brain. 1952;75:8–14.Google Scholar
22.Campbell, R, Schaffer, CB, Tupin, J. Catatonia associated with glutethimide withdrawal. J Clin Psychiatry. 1983;44:32–33.Google Scholar
23.Contamin, F, Escourelle, R, Nick, J, et al.Atrophie pallidonigro-luysienne syndrome akinetique avec palilalie, rigidite oppositionelle et catatonie. Rev Neurol (Paris). 1971;124:107–120.Google Scholar
24.Cooper, AF, Schapira, K. Case report: depression, catatonic stupor, and EEG changes in hyperparathyroidism. Psychol Med. 1973;3:509–515.Google Scholar
25.Cravioto, H, Silberman, J, Feigin, I. A clinical and pathological study of akinetic mutism. Neurology. 1960;10:10–21.Google Scholar
26.Daradkeh, TK, Nasrallah, NS. Lupus catatonia: a case report. Pharmacotherapy. 1987;5:142–144.Google Scholar
27.Doherty, M, Garstin, I, McClelland, RJ, et al.A steroid stupor on the surgical ward. Br J Psychiatry. 1991;158:125–127.Google Scholar
28.Douglass, AB, Hays, P, Pazderka, F, et al.Florid refractory schizophrenia that turns out to be variants of HLA associated narcolepsy. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1991;179:12–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29.Drake, ME, Coffey, CE. Complex partial status epilepticus simulating psychogenic unresponsiveness. Am J Psychiatry. 1983;140:800–801.Google ScholarPubMed
30.Evrard, E, Molders, V, DeBruyn-Mottard, AM, et al.Syndrome catatonique tardif symptomatique d'une encephalopathie degenerative. Acta Psychiatr Belg. 1977;77:429–445.Google Scholar
31.Fisher, CM. ‘Catatonia’ due to disulfiram toxicity. Arch Neurol. 1989;46:798–804.Google Scholar
32.Freeman, JM, Finkelstein, JD, Mudd, SH. Folate-responsive homocystinuria and “schizophrenia.” A defect in methylation due to deficient 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase activity. N Engl J Med. 1975;292:491–496.Google Scholar
33.Fricchione, GL, Kaufman, LD, Gruber, BL, et al.Electroconvulsive therapy and cyclophosphamide in combination for severe neuropsychiatric lupus with catatonia. Am J Med. 1990;88:442–443.Google Scholar
34.Glaser, GH, Pincus, JH. Limbic encephalitis. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1969;149:59–67.Google Scholar
35.Gomez, EA, Comstock, BS, Rosario, A. Organic versus functional etiology in catatonia: case report. J Clin Psychiatry. 1983;43:200–201.Google Scholar
36.Good, MI. Catatonic symptomatology and withdrawal diskinesias. Am J Psychiatry. 1976;133:1454–1455.Google Scholar
37.Hanson, GD, Brown, MJ. Waxy flexibility in a postpartum woman. A case report and review of the catatonic syndrome. Psychiatr Q. 1973;47:95–103.Google Scholar
38.Hauser, P, Devinsky, O, DeBellis, M, et al.Benzodiazepine withdrawal delirium with catatonic features. Occurrence in patients with partial seizure disorders. Arch Neurol. 1989;6:696–699.Google Scholar
39.Himmelhoch, J, Pincus, J, Tucker, G, et al.Sub-acute encephalitis: behavioral and neurological aspects. Br J Psychiatry. 1970;116:531–538.Google Scholar
40.Hockaday, TDR, Keynes, WM, McKenzie, JK. Catatonic stupor in elderly woman with hyperparathyroidism. Br Med J. 1966:1:85–87.Google Scholar
41.Hoenig, J, Toakley, JG. The diagnosis of stupor. Psychiatrica Neurologica Basel. 1959;137:128–144.Google Scholar
42.Kim, CH, Perlstein, MA. Encephalitis with catatonic schizophrenic symptoms. Ill Med J. 1970;138:503–507.Google Scholar
43.Kirubakaran, V, Sen, S, Wilkinson, CB. Catatonic stupor, unusual manifestation of temporal lobe epilepsy. Psychiatric J Univ Ott. 1977;12:244–246.Google Scholar
44.Koehler, K, Jakumeit, U. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis presenting as Leonhard's speech-prompt catatonia. Br J Psychiatry. 1976;129:29–31.Google Scholar
45.Kramer, MS. Menstrual epileptoid psychosis in an adolescent girl. Am J Dis Child. 1977;131:316–317.Google Scholar
46.Kronfol, Z, Schlesser, M, Tsuang, M. Catatonia and systemic lupus erythematosus. Dis Nerv Sys. 1977;38:729–731.Google Scholar
47.Johnson, J, Lucey, PA. Encephalitis lethargica, a contemporary cause of catatonic stupor. A report of two cases. Br J Psychiatry. 1987;151:550–552.Google Scholar
48.Lanham, JG, Brown, MM, Hughes, GRV. Cerebral systemic lupus erythematosus presenting with catatonia. Postgrad Med J. 1985:61:329–330.Google Scholar
49.Lee, CH, Lance, JW. Migraine stupor. Headache. 1977;17:32–38.Google Scholar
50.Leigh, H, Callahan, WA, Einhorn, D. Good outcome in a catatonic patient with enlarged ventricles. J Nerv Merit Dis. 1978;166:139–141.Google Scholar
51.Levine, Y, Gaoni, B. The hypoparathyroid syndrome: psychiatric observations and case description. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 1990;27:242–246.Google Scholar
52.Lim, J, Yagnik, P, Schraeder, P, et al.Ictal catatonia as a manifestation of nonconvulsive status epilepticus. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1986;49:833–836.Google Scholar
53.Mac, DS, Pardo, MP. Systemic lupus erythematosus and catatonia: a case report. J Clin Psychiatry. 1983;44:155–156.Google Scholar
54.Malamud, N. Psychiatric disorder with intracranial tumors of the limbic system. Arch Neurol. 1967;17:113–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
55.Matthews, WB. Multiple sclerosis presenting with acute remitting psychiatric symptoms. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1979;42:859–863.Google Scholar
56.Micheels, LJ. Catatonic syndrome in a case of subdural hematoma. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1953;117:123–129.Google Scholar
57.Misra, PC, Hay, GG. Encephalitis presenting as acute schizophrenia. Br Med J. 1971;1:532–533.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
58.Morrant, JCA. A catatonic syndrome resulting in death. Can J Psychiatry. 1984;29:147–150.Google Scholar
59.Offenstadt, G, Bienvenu, MP, Hericord, PH, et al.Catatonie grave, schizophrenic et coproporphyrie hereditaire. Sem Hop Paris. 1980;56:1727–1730.Google Scholar
60.Orland, RM, Daghestani, AN. A case of catatonia induced by bacterial meningoencephalitis. J Clin Psychiatry. 1987;48:489–490.Google ScholarPubMed
61.Pichot, P, Samuel-Lajeunesse, B, Guelfi, J-D. Problemes etiologiques par un syndrome catatonique. Ann Med Psychol (Paris). 1969;127:133–139.Google Scholar
62.Prins, JM, DeGlas-Vos, JW. Cerebrale lupus erythematosus disseminatus: hoofdbrekens voor patient en arts. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1990;134:2252–2256.Google Scholar
63.Raskin, DE, Frank, SW. Herpes encephalitis with catatonic stupor. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1974;31:544–546.Google Scholar
64.Reimer, DR, Nagaswami, S. Catatonic schizophrenia associated with cerebral arterial malformations and with membranous glomerulonephritis. Psychosomatics. 1974;15:39–40.Google Scholar
65.Rubin, RL. Adolescent infectious mononucleosis with psychosis. J Clin Psychiatry. 1978;39:773–775.Google Scholar
66.Ruff, RL, Russakoff, LM. Catatonia with frontal lobe atrophy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1980;43:185–187.Google Scholar
67.Salam, SA, Kilzieh, N. Lorazepam treatment of psychogenic catatonia: an update. J Clin Psychiatry. 1988;49(suppl):16–21.Google Scholar
68.Sackallares, JC, Lee, SI, Dreifuss, FE. Stupor following administration of valproic acid to patients receiving other antileptic drugs. Epilepsia. 1979;20:697–703.Google Scholar
69.Scamvougeras, A, Rosebush, PI. AIDS-related psychosis with catatonia responding to low dose lorazepam. J Clin Psychiatry. 1992;53:414–415.Google Scholar
70.Schmuecker, JD, Meloy, JR, Williams, DJ. Disulfiram toxicity and catatonia in a forensic outpatient. Am J Psychiatry. 1992;149:1275–1276.Google Scholar
71.Sevlever, G, Taratuto, AH, de las Carreras, MC, et al.Catatonia secondary to acute Chaga's encephalitis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1987;50:1244.Google Scholar
72.Shah, P, Kaplan, SL. Catatonic symptoms in a child with epilepsy. Am J Psychiatry. 1980;137:738–739.Google Scholar
73.Snyder, S, Prenzlauer, S, Maruyama, N, et al.Catatonia in a patient with AIDS-related dementia. J Clin Psychiatry. 1990;53:414.Google Scholar
74.Sobin, A, Ozer, MN. Mental disorders in acute encephalitis. Mount Sinai Hospital Journal. 1966;33:73–82.Google Scholar
75.Solomon, JG. Distinguishing catatonia: a case report. Psychosomatics. 1978;19:299–307.Google Scholar
76.Sours, JA. Akinetic mutism simulating catatonic schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry. 1962;119:451–455.Google Scholar
77.Steinman, TI, Yager, HM. Catatonia in uremia. Ann Intern Med. 1978;89:74–75.Google Scholar
78.Steriade, M, Botez, MI, Petrovici, I. On certain dissociations of consciousness levels within the syndrome of akinetic mutism. Psychiatrica Neurologica Basel. 1961;141:38–58.Google Scholar
79.Sternbach, H, Yager, J. Catatonia in the presence of midbrain and brainstem abnormalities. J Clin Psychiatry. 1981;42:352–353.Google Scholar
80.Sutter, JM, Barnedat, C, Pheline, C, et al.La catatonie posttraumatique ses rapports avec les “etats de decerebration” et les “coma prolonges.” Rev Neurol (Paris). 1959;101:524–535.Google Scholar
81.Tandon, R, Walden, M, Falcon, S. Catatonia as a manifestation of paraneoplastic encephalopathy. J Clin Psychiatry. 1988;49:121–122.Google Scholar
82.Thompson, SW, Greenhouse, AH. Petit mal status in adults. Ann Intern Med. 1968;68:1271–1279.Google Scholar
83.Tippin, J, Dunner, FJ. Biparietal infarctions in a patient with catatonia. Am J Psychiatry. 1981;138:1386–1387.Google Scholar
84.Volkow, ND, Harper, A, Munnisteri, D, et al.AIDS and catatonia. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1987;50:104.Google Scholar
85.Weddington, WW, Marks, RC, Verghese, JP. Disulfiram encephalopathy as a cause of the catatonia syndrome. Am J Psychiatry. 1982;137:1217–1219.Google Scholar
86.Wilson, LG. Viral encephalopathy mimicking functional psychosis. Am J Psychiatry. 1976;133:165–170.Google Scholar
87.Zlotow, M, Kleiner, S. Catatonic schizophrenia associated with tuberous sclerosis. Psychiatr Q. 1965;39:466–475.Google Scholar
88.Boutros, NN. A review of the indications for routine EEG in clinical psychiatry. Hosp Community Psychiatry. 1992;43:716–719.Google Scholar
89.Gibbs, F, Novick, R. Electroencephalographic findings among adult patients in a private psychiatric hospital. Clin Electroencephalogr. 1977;8:79–88.Google Scholar
90.Carroll, BT, Boutros, NN. Clinical electroencephalograms in patients with catatonic disorders. Clin Electroencephalogr. 1994;26:60–64.Google Scholar