Recognizing Catatonia in Medically Hospitalized Older Adults: Why It Matters

Jordi Serra-Mestres,Walter Jaimes-Albornoz

doi:10.3390/geriatrics3030037

Abstract

Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by a variety of motor, behavioral, emotional, and autonomic abnormalities caused by general medical, neurological, and psychiatric disorders, as well as by medications and drugs of abuse. Although there has been a plethora of research on catatonia over the last twenty years, it is still underdiagnosed. Studies of catatonia involving older adults have been sparse, despite its apparent high prevalence, higher risk of serious complications, and of association with non-psychiatric causes. This paper aims to provide an introduction to catatonia as a syndrome, as well as an account of its specificities in older adults, especially those in general hospitals, with the aim to raise awareness of catatonia amongst clinicians working with this age group in acute medical settings, so improvements in its diagnostic rates, treatment, and outcomes can be achieved.

Highlights

Catatonia is characterized by a variety of motor, behavioral, emotional, and autonomic abnormalities caused by general medical, neurological, and psychiatric disorders, and by medications and drugs of abuse [1]
It is essential that catatonia in older adults in medical settings is detected to improve diagnostic rates, treatment, and outcomes
This paper will consider the specificities of catatonia in older adults, especially in general hospitals, to raise awareness amongst clinicians working with this age group, so better outcomes can be achieved and complications avoided

Summary

Introduction

Catatonia is characterized by a variety of motor, behavioral, emotional, and autonomic abnormalities caused by general medical, neurological, and psychiatric disorders, and by medications and drugs of abuse [1]. Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum in 1874 [2] He described stupor, mutism, rigidity, negativism, catalepsy, and echophenomena in a group of patients with various psychiatric and physical disorders. Notwithstanding the increasing amount of research on catatonia, there have been few studies involving older adults despite its high prevalence, risk of serious complications, and association with non-psychiatric causes in this age group [4,5]. This paper will consider the specificities of catatonia in older adults, especially in general hospitals, to raise awareness amongst clinicians working with this age group, so better outcomes can be achieved and complications avoided

Objectives

Methods

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Conclusion