Psychomotorisches Syndrom Katatonie

At present, catatony can no longer be considered as an exclusive subgroup of schizophrenia, but also a psychomotor syndrome which may occur in case of most various diseases (psychiatric, neurologic, internal). The catatonic syndrome is distinguished by a characteristic combination of motory symptoms with behavioural peculiarities and psychic alterations. In differential diagnosis, it is difficult to distinguish the catatonic syndrome from malignant neuroleptic syndrome (MNS), for other locomotor disorders caused by neuroleptics and from extrapyramidal locomotor disorders. In therapy Lorazepam proves to be effective in 60-80% of the catatonic patients as far as the removal of the catatonic symptoms is concerned. In case of a resistance to therapy and life-threatening febrile catatonic conditions, amantadine therapy and/or electro-convulsive treatments have to be taken into consideration.