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Articles: Sundararajan Rajagopal Catatonia Adv Psychiatr Treat 2007; 13: 51-59 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Catatonia in Present Day Society

Sally A Morgan, Dietmar Hank, Visiting Honorary Consultant in Neuropsychiatry, The Burden Centre, Frenchay Hospital, Frenchay Park Road, Bristol. BS16 1JB and Danny Rogers, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, The Burden Centre, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol.   (23 July 2008)

Catatonia in Present Day Society 23 July 2008
Sally A Morgan, Specialist Registrar in General Adult Psychiatry CRHTT, 18 Denmark Road, Glos. GL1 3HZ, Dietmar Hank, Visiting Honorary Consultant in Neuropsychiatry, The Burden Centre, Frenchay Hospital, Frenchay Park Road, Bristol. BS16 1JB and Danny Rogers, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, The Burden Centre, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol. Send letter to journal: Re: Catatonia in Present Day Society sallymorgan2000{at}yahoo.co.uk Sally A Morgan, et al.	Rajagopal (2007) suggests that catatonia is a unique syndrome that requires treatment in its own right, independent of any underlying disorder. We conducted a postal survey of psychiatrists working in the South West of England and Wales, looking at their understanding of catatonia. We also enquired about the number of catatonic cases encountered in a 2 year period, the presence of underlying/comorbid disorders, treatment type and response to treatment. There are a large number of varied signs associated with the syndrome (Bush 1996) and they may be subtle and unrecognised. No specific diagnostic criteria for catatonia have been established, although most authors define the syndrome by the presence of motor signs. There is a growing evidence base for effective treatment and recognition of catatonia is important to prevent significant morbidity (Rosebush 1999). In our survey, 96% of respondents understood catatonia as a syndrome in its own right and as a subtype of schizophrenia. For the majority of signs, 90% of respondents felt confident to give a definition but there was no consensus regarding which signs needed to be present to diagnose catatonia. Only 28% of respondents reported seeing a case/s of catatonia and a range of different treatments were used. Catatonia continues to be recognised, but the understanding of the condition differs which could result in under diagnosis and suboptimal treatment. The use of rating scales may ensure more cases are identified. There is a need to raise awareness amongst clinicians of this often forgotten entity. Declaration of Interst: None Bush, G., Fink, M., Petrides, G., et al (1996) Catatonia. I. Rating scale and standardized examination. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 93, 129 -136 Rajagopal,S. (2007) Catatonia. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 13, 51-59 Rosebush, P. I., Mazarek, M. F. (1999) Catatonia: Re-awakening to a Forgotten Disorder. Movement Disorders, 14, 395-397