Catatonic schizophrenia is a type of mental disorder in which the dominant symptoms of a movement disorder, such as agitation or vice versa - freezing in one position. What are the causes and symptoms of catatonic schizophrenia? What is the treatment for this type of disorder?

Catatonic schizophreniais a type of schizophrenia that is mainly characterized by movement disorders such as agitation or, conversely, stupor.

What is catatonia?

In Poland, it is a rarely diagnosed type of mental disorder (approx. 2% of diagnoses), which - luckily - is very susceptible to treatment.

Catatonic schizophrenia - causes

The exact causes of catatonic schizophrenia are unknown. It is generally accepted that the occurrence of this disease is favored by the overlapping of genetic and environmental factors.

If a family member has a history of schizophrenia, the risk of developing the disease increases (in children of people with schizophrenia by as much as 15% compared to other people). Family burdens increase the likelihood of developing schizophrenia, but there must be other triggers, such as :

  • childhood trauma
  • incorrect relationship between parents
  • not accepted by peers

Also long-term use of drugs and other psychoactive substances (e.g. marijuana, stimulants) is considered a factor increasing the risk of developing the disease.

Illness can also be the result of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Catatonic schizophrenia - symptoms

Before the onset of catatonic schizophrenia symptoms, it is usual to observe traits and behaviors that may be considered abnormal. These are usually:

  • difficulties in contacting other people
  • isolating
  • emotional coldness
  • eccentricity
  • excessive sensitivity
  • distrust

Then there are the precursor symptoms that are not yet the actual symptoms of catatonic schizophrenia, but are already marked changes in behavior, thinking and perception. Most often observed:

  • sleep disturbance or insomnia
  • delusions of persecution, fiction
  • depersonalization-type feelings
  • anxiety symptoms

Together withthe development of the disease, typical symptoms of catatonic schizophrenia appear.

Hypokinetic Catatonic Schizophrenia:

  • catatonic stupor - the patient stays still, does not react to the environment, there is no eye contact with it (the patient looks into the distance) and no verbal contact (mutism - persistent silence) with the environment (possibly the patient speaks fragments of sentences very slowly and quietly) ). Catatonic stupor may suddenly change into a state of very strong psychomotor agitation - the so-called catatonic excitation
  • catatonic stiffness (or cataleptic state) - the patient freezes for a long time in an uncomfortable, unnatural position and shows resistance when trying to change it
  • waxy stiffness - the patient maintains the position assigned to him by another person for some time
  • echolalia (repeating words or phrases spoken by other people)
  • echopraxia (repeating observed movements made by other people)
  • echomimia (imitation of facial expressions and gestures seen in other people)
  • negativity - not responding to commands (resistance to changing the body position, refusal to eat)
  • some patients may experience hallucinations and delusions that center around death and destruction;

Hyperkinetic catatonic schizophrenia:

  • catatonic agitation - the patient is overly active physically - aggressive, hyperactive. It can also destroy everything around and tear off its clothes. He often yells, jumps, sings
  • movement stereotypes (constant repetition of pointless or ritualistic movements, body postures)
  • verbal perseveration (persistent repetition of the same word), verbal persuasion (uttering sounds or words not logically related to each other, similar to each other only in terms of rhythm or rhyme)
  • neologisms or breaks or insertions in the course of thought leading to distraction

Catatonic schizophrenia - treatment

For catatonic schizophrenia, first-generation neuroleptics are usually not as effective as needed. Improvement of the mental state is achieved after administration of neuroleptics from the group of atypical antipsychotics - most often aripiprazole, which reduces the severity of anxiety-depressive symptoms, the readiness to react with aggression and paranoid thinking qualities. Alternatively, another drug from this group can be added to it - clozapine.

Read also:

  • Types of schizophrenia
  • Inheriting schizophrenia
  • Treatment of schizophrenia
  • Paranoid Schizophrenia
  • How to recognize paranoia?

Category:

Psychiatry