Prevalence of catatonic signs in acute psychiatric patients in Scotland

Abstract

Aims and methodConcerns have been raised that catatonia is underdiagnosed. Prevalence varies (1.3-32%) depending on diagnostic criteria. We used the Modified Rogers Scale to rate catatonic signs in patients consecutively admitted to three psychiatric wards over a 10-month period.ResultsThe prevalence of patients demonstrating any catatonic signs was at least 7.9-19.1%. The most common catatonic signs were marked underactivity (not sedated), echolalia/palilalia, marked overactivity (not restlessness) and gegenhalten. In those with catatonic signs, the most common diagnoses were schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and dementia.Clinical implicationsMost of the most common catatonic signs in our sample were motor signs. Antipsychotic-induced motor signs reflect interaction between drug and disease. Catatonic signs are not anchored in any one diagnosis and are on a spectrum of severity and quantity. Prevalence of these signs is higher than often presumed.

Anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis presenting with catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome in patients with intellectual disability and autism

“… 14 , 15 Concerns have been raised that catatonia is underdiagnosed. One study 16 found that in Scotland the prevalence of catatonia varied depending on the diagnostic criteria used, ranging from 1.3 to 32%. In that study the prevalence of psychiatric patients demonstrating any catatonic signs was at least 7.9–19.1%.…”

Acamprosate Complements Ill-Sustained Response of ECT in Catatonic Frontotemporal Dementia

“…It should be borne in mind; however, that catatonia and dementia are not mutually exclusive diagnoses and neurologic conditions associated with catatonia are protean including herpetic encephalitis, frontal lobe trauma, paraneoplastic, epilepsy, syphilis and temporal lobe infarction [7]. Prevalence of catatonia in dementia was circa 15% in a study from Scotland [8]. Cardinal catatonic features commonly overlap with advanced dementia [9].…”

Schizophrenie und aggressives Verhalten – die Bedeutung katatoner Phänomene

“…Für solche Symptome speziell entwickelte Instrumente, wie beispielsweise die Northoff Catatonia Scale [22] oder die Katatonie-Rating-Skala [16], kommen sowohl im klinischen Alltag als auch in Forschungsprojekten eher selten zum Einsatz. Systematische Untersuchungen zeigen jedoch, dass die Prävalenz katatoner Symptome mit bis zu 19 % bei Patienten mit akuten psychischen Störungen wahrscheinlich höher als üblicherweise angenommen ist [23]. Die Schwierigkeiten der differenzierten Erfassung psychomotorischer Symptome mögen auch dazu beigetragen haben, dass das Interesse am katatonen Subtyp der Schizophrenie stark abgenommen hat und gar dessen Existenz infrage gestellt wird [19].…”