Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2pzkn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T12:04:13.248Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Catatonia: the rise and fall of an intriguing psychopathological dimension

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

F. M. M. A. van der Heijden ,
S. Tuinier ,
L. Pepplinkhuizen  and
W. M. A. Verhoeven
F. M. M. A. van der Heijden*
Affiliation:
Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, the Netherlands
S. Tuinier
Affiliation:
Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, the Netherlands
L. Pepplinkhuizen
Affiliation:
Erasmus University, Faculty of Medicine and Mental Sciences, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
W. M. A. Verhoeven
Affiliation:
Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, the Netherlands Erasmus University, Faculty of Medicine and Mental Sciences, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
*
Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, PO Box 5, 5800 AA, Venray, the Netherlands. Tel: 0031 478 527339; Fax: 0031 478 527110.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

For at least 125 years the discussion about the clinical relevance of catatonic symptoms in psychiatry continues. It started from the original description by Kahlbaum and was revived by modern factor analytical studies, that identified the catatonic dimension in about 10% of newly admitted patients.

Objective:

Over a period of 2 years, four patients with an acute episodic psychosis and prominent catatonic symptoms were examined.

Methods:

A clinical description is given of the psychopathology and classification is performed according to the various diagnostic instruments.

Results:

All patients showed a circular fluctuation of their psychoses, with motor symptoms ranging from the excited to the inhibited pole within one episode. Their clinical pictures also comprised mood swings and anxieties as well as hallucinatory and delusional experiences, whereas the course of disease was characterized by complete recovery without residual symptoms.

Conclusions:

The significance of catatonic symptoms is not recognized in the current taxonomies despite the fact that this has major pharmacological treatment implications.

Keywords

catatoniacycloid psychosismood stabilizerspsychosis
Type
Original Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , June 2002 , pp. 111 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Acta Neuropsychiatrica 2002

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

Kahlbaum, KL.Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein, Eine klinische Form psychischer Krankheit. Nijmegen: Arts & Boeve, 2000 (1874).Google Scholar
Wernicke, C.Grundriss der Psychiatrie in klinischen Vorlesungen. Nijmegen; Arts & Boeve, neuausgabe der zweiten auflage, 2000 (1906).Google Scholar
Kleist, K.Die Katatonie. Nervenarzt 1943;16: 1–10. Google Scholar
Leonhard, K.Aufteilung der endogenen Psychosen und ihre differenzierte Ätiologie. Stuttgart: Georg Thieme Verlag, 1995. Google Scholar
Gjessing, RR.Contribution to the somatology of periodic catatonia. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1976. Google Scholar
Gjessing, LR.A review of periodic catatonia. Biol Psychiatry 1974;8: 23–45.Google ScholarPubMed
Kitamura, T, Okazaki, Y, Fujinawa, A.Symptoms of psychoses — a factor analytic study. Br J Psychiatry 1995;166: 236–240.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Os, J, Fahy, A, Jones, Pet al. Psychopathological syndromes in the functional psychoses. associations with course and outcome. Psychol Med 1996;26: 161–176.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peralta, V, Cuesta, MJ.Motor features in psychotic disorders. I. Factor structure and clinical correlates. Schizophr Res 2001;47: 107–116.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peralta, V, Cuesta, MJ.Motor features in psychotic disorders. II. Development of dimensional criteria for catatonia. Schizophr Res 2001;47: 117–126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leonhard, K.Is the concept of ‘schizo-affective psychosis’ prognostically of value? Psychiatr Clin 1983;16: 178–185. Google Scholar
Stöber, G, Franzek, E, Lesch, KP, Beckmann, H.Periodic catatonia: a schizophrenic subtype with major gene effect and anticipation. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 1995;245: 135–141.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stöber, G, Pfuhlmann, B, Nürnberg, Get al. Towards the genetic basis of periodic catatonia: pedigree sample for genome scan I and II. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Suppl 2001;251: 25–30. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stöber, G.Genetic predisposition and environmental causes in periodic and systematic catatonia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Suppl 2001;251: 21–24. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beckmann, H, Franzek, E, Stöber, G.Genetic heterogeneity in catatonic schizophrenia: a family study. Am J Med Genet 1996;67: 289–300.DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8628(19960531)67:3<289::aid-ajmg5>3.0.co;2-i3.0.CO;2-I>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peralta, V, Cuesta, MJ, Serrano, JF, Mata, I.The Kahlbaum syndrome. A study of its clinical validity, nosological status and relationship with schizophrenia and mood disorder. Compr Psychiatry 1997;38: 61–67.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, J.Stupor. a review of 25 cases. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1984;70: 370–377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raskin, DE, Frank, SW.Herpes encephalititis with catatonic stupor. Arch General Psychiatry 1974;31: 544–546. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scamvougeras, A, Rosenbush, PI.AIDS-related psychosis with catatonia responding to low dose lorazepam [letter]. J Clin Psychiatry 1992;53: 414–415.Google Scholar
Carroll, BT, Anfinson, TJ, Kennedy, JC, Yendrek, R, Boutros, M, Bilon, A.Catatonic disorder due to general medical conditions. J Neuropsychiatr Clin Neurosci 1994;6: 122–133. Google ScholarPubMed
Luchins, DJ, Metz, JT, Marks, RC, Cooper, MD.Basal ganglia regional glucose metabolism asymmetry during a catatonic episode. Biol Psychiatry 1989;26: 725–728.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Burruss, JW, Chacko, RC.Episodically remitting akinetic mutism following subarachnoid hemorrhage. J Neuropsychiatr Clin Neurosci 1999;11: 100–102. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ruff, RL, Russakoff, LM.Catatonia with frontal lobe atrophy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1980;43: 185–187.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, MA.Catatonia. A review of a behavioral neurologic syndrome. Neuropsychiatr Neuropsychol Behav Neurol 1990;3: 48–72. Google Scholar
Leentjens, AFG, Pepplinkhuizen, L.A case of periodic catatonia, due to frontal lobe epilepsy. Int J Psychiatr Clin Pract 1998;2: 57–59. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, AF, Schapira, K.Case report. depression, catatonic stupor and EEG changes in hyperparathyroidism. Psychol Med 1973;3: 509–516.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lehmann, J.Mental disturbances followed by stupor in a patient with carcinoidosis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1966;42: 153–161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fekkes, D, Pepplinkhuizen, L, Verhey, R.Abnormal plasma levels of serine, methionine, and taurine in transient acute polymorphic psychosis. Psychiatry Res 1994;51: 11–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crimlisk, HL.The little imitator-porphyria: a neuropsychiatric disorder. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1997;62: 319–328.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Francis, A.Catatonia. In: Henn, F, Sartorius, N, Helmchen, H, Lauter, H, eds. Contemporary psychiatry. Berlin: Springer Verlag, 2001: 366–372. Google Scholar
Bush, G, Fink, M, Petrides, G, Dowling, F, Francis, A.Catatonia I. Rating scale and standardized examination. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1996;93: 129–136.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Perris, C, Brockington, IF.Cycloid psychoses and their relation to the major psychoses. In: Perris, C, Struwe, G, Jansson, B, eds. Biol psychiatry. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1981: 447–450. Google Scholar
Abrams, R, Taylor, MA.Catatonia: a prospective clinical study. Arch General Psychiatry 1976;33: 579–581. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenbush, PI, Hildebrand, AM, Furlong, BG, Mazurek, MF.Catatonic syndrome in a general psychiatric inpatient population. frequency, clinical presentation, and response to lorazepam. J Clin Psychiatry 1990;51: 357–362.Google Scholar
Barnes, MP, Saunders, M, Walls, TJ, Saunders, I, Kirk, CA.The syndrome of Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1986;49: 991–996.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fink, M, Taylor, MA.Catatonia: a separate category in DSM-IV? Integr Psychiatry 1991;7: 2–10. Google Scholar
Van Praag, HM.A transatlantic view of the diagnosis of depressions according to the DSM-III. I. Controversies and misunderstandings in depression diagnosis. Compr Psychiatry 1982;23: 315–329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Praag, HM.A transatlantic view of the diagnosis of depressions according to the DSM-III. II did the DSM-III solve the problem of depression diagnosis? Compr Psychiatry 1982;23: 330–337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Praag, HM.Over the mainstream: diagnostic requirements for biological psychiatric research. Psychiatry Res 1997;72: 201–212.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Praag, HM, Asnis, GM, Kahn, RSet al. Nosological tunnel vision in biological psychiatry: a plea for functional psychopathology. Ann NY Acad Sci 1990;600: 501–510.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fink, M.Catatonia: syndrome or schizophrenia subtype? Recognition and treatment. J Neural Transm 2001;108: 637–644.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kleist, K.Schizophrenic symptoms and cerebral pathology. J Ment Sci 1960;106: 246–255. Google ScholarPubMed
Cummings, JL.Frontal–subcortical circuits and human behaviour. Arch Neurol 1993;50: 873–880.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lauer, M, Schirrmeister, H, Gerhard, Aet al. Disturbed neural circuits in a subtype of chronic catatonic schizophrenia demonstrated by F-18-FDG-PET and F-18-DOPA-PET. J Neural Transm 2001;108: 661–670.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fekkes, D, Pepplinkhuizen, L.Amino acid studies in transient acute polymorphic psychosis. Amino Acids 1997;12: 107–117. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blumer, D.Catatonia and neuroleptics. Compr Psychiatry 1997;38: 193–201.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gelenberg, AJ, Mandel, MR.Catatonic reactions to high-potency neuroleptic drugs. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1977;34: 947–950.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perris, C.Morbidity suppressive effect of lithium carbonate in cycloid psychosis. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1978;35: 328–332. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perris, C.The concept of cycloid psychotic disorder. Psychiatr Devel 1988;1: 37–56. Google Scholar
Lindvall, M, Axelsson, R, ÖHman, R.Incidence of cycloid psychosis: a clinical study of first-admission psychotic patients. Eur Arch Psychiatr Clin Neurosci 1993;242: 197–202. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pfuhlmann, B.Das Konzept der zykloiden Psychosen. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatry 1998;66: 1–9. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ungvari, G, Kau, LS, Wai-Kwong, T, Shing, NF.The pharmacological treatment of catatonia: an overview. Eur Arch Psychiatr Clin Neurosci Suppl 2001;251: 31–34. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beckmann, H, Franzek, E.Cycloid psychoses and their differentiation from affective and schizophrenic psychoses. In: Henn, F, Sartorius, N, Helmchen, H, Lauter, H, eds. Contemporary psychiatry. Berlin: Springer Verlag, 2001: 388–398. Google Scholar
Komori, T, Nomaguchi, M, Kodama, S, Takigawa, M, Nomura, J.Thyroid hormone and reserpine abolished periods of periodic catatonia;a case report. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1997;96: 155–156.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ungvari, GA, Leung, CM, Wong, MK, Lau, J.Benzodiazepines in the treatment of catatonic syndrome. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1994;89: 285–288.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bush, G, Fink, M, Petrides, G, Dowling, F, Francis, A.Catatonia. II. Treatment with lorazepam and electroconvulsive therapy. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1996;93: 137–143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kopala, LC, Caudle, C.Acute and long-term effects of risperidone in a case of first-episode catatonic schizophrenia. J Psychopharmacol 1998;12: 314–317.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Verhoeven, WMA, Tuinier, S.Cyclothymia or unstable mood disorder? A systematic treatment evaluation with valproic acid. J Appl Res Intellect Disab 2001;14: 147–154. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Verhoeven, WMA, Tuinier, S.Two steps forward, one step back; paradigmatic changes in psychiatry. J Neural Transm 2001;108: 617–627.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van der Heijden, FMMA, Tuinier, S, Pepplinkhuizen, L, Van Praag, HM, Verhoeven, WMA.Beyond the mainstream. The heuristic value of the cycloid psychosis. Eur J Psychiatry 2002. Google Scholar
Meyer, J, Huberth, A, Ortega, Get al. A missense mutation in a novel gene encoding a putative cation channel is associated with catatonic schizophrenia in a large pedigree. Mol Psychiatry 2001;6: 302–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar