Catatonia Flashcards
Who originally described catatonia?
Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum
What is stupor?
Give an example
Combination of immobility and mutism
A patient sits motionless and mute in a chair for hours without responding to any external stimuli.
What is posturing? Give an example
Maintaining the same posture for long periods.
a patient holds their arm outstretched in a crucifix position for several hrs without moving
What is waxy flexibility? Give an example
When the pt can be positioned in uncomfortable postures which are maintained for a long time
Examiner raises pts arm above their head and the pt keeps it in that position for a long time
What is negativism? Give the alternative name for it and an example
Gegenhalten
Patient resists the attempts of the examiner to move parts of their body and, according to the original definition, the resistance offered is exactly equal to the strength applied.
When the examiner tries to lift the patient’s arm, the patient resists with exactly the same force, preventing any movement.
What is automatic obedience? Give an example
Exaggerated cooperation, automatically obeying every instruction of the examiner.
examiner tells the patient to stand up, sit down, and raise their hands, and the patient complies immediately and without question.
What is mitmachen?
Give an example
A form of automatic obedience whereby the body of the patient can be put into any posture, even if the patient is given instructions to resist. The body part immediately returns to the original position once the force is removed (unlike in waxy flexibility).
The examiner lifts the patient’s arm, which then falls back to its original position as soon as the examiner releases it.
What is mitgehen? Give an example
An extreme form of mitmachen in which the examiner is able to move the patient’s body with the slightest touch (anglepoise lamp sign), like in mitmachen, the body part returns to the original position once the force is removed.
Examiner lightly touches the pts arm and the arm follows the movement with minimal resistance. Once the touch is removed the arm returns to its initial position
What is ambitendency?
Give an example
The patient alternates between resistance to and cooperation with the examiner’s instructions; for example, when asked to shake hands, the patient repeatedly extends and withdraws the hand.
What is psychological pillow?
The patient assumes a reclining posture, with their head a few inches above the bed surface, and is able to maintain this position for prolonged periods.
What is forced grasping?
The patient forcibly and repeatedly grasps the examiner’s hand when offered.
What is obstruction?
The patient stops suddenly in the course of a movement and is generally unable to give a reason. This appears to be the motor counterpart of thought block.
What is the echopraxia? Give an example
patient imitates the actions of the interviewer.
The examiner raises their hand, and the patient immediately mimics the action, raising their hand in the same way.
What is aversion?
The patient turns away from the examiner when addressed.
What are mannerisms? Give an example
These are repetitive, goal-directed movements (e.g. saluting a door or combing hair without a brush in the hand).
What are stereotypies? Give an example
Repetitive, regular movements that are not goal-directed
e.g. rocking
What is motor perseveration? Give an example
Patient persists with a particular movement that has lost its initial relevance
After picking up a pen, the patient continues the motion of picking up as if there were still a pen to be grasped, even after the pen is securely in hand.
What is echopraxia?
Involuntary imitation or repetition of someone elses actions
What is logorrhoea? Give an example
Increased loquacity (talkativeness). Logorrheic speech can be coherent and logical and is not necessarily accelerated in all cases although in severe cases the patient cannot be interrupted.
A patient with ADHD talks continuously about various topics, making logical connections between ideas, but speaks without pausing for interruptions.
What is logoclonia? Give an example
Meaningless repetition of a syllable particularly an end syllable of a word
Patient repeatedly says please please please
What is verbigeration? Give an example
Meaningless repetition of words or phrases
Patient continuously repeats its raining cats and dogs without any relevance
