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Malignant Catatonia

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Movement Disorder Emergencies

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Neurology ((CCNEU))

Abstract

Malignant catatonia (MC) represents a life-threatening neuropsychiatric disorder that was widely reported both in the United States and abroad long before the introduction of antipsychotic drugs. Lack of recognition probably accounts for the relative paucity of contemporary North American reports on MC. Furthermore, MC is a syndrome rather than a specific disease entity that may occur as an outgrowth of diverse neuromedical illnesses as well as with the major psychoses. From this perspective, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially deadly complication of antipsychotic drug treatment, may be conceptualized as a drug-induced form of MC. The hypothesis that MC and NMS share a common pathophysiology, involving reduced dopamine functioning in the frontal-subcortical circuits, provides additional support for a view of NMS as a subtype of MC. Electroconvulsive therapy is the preferred treatment for MC stemming from a major psychotic disorder, and appears also effective in cases caused by neuromedical illnesses. Antipsychotic drugs should be withheld whenever MC is suspected.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA

    Stephan C. Mann M.D.

  2. Central Montgomery Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center, Norristown, PA, USA

    Stephan C. Mann M.D.

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Stanley N. Caroff M.D., Henry R. Bleier M.D. & E. Cabrina Campbell M.D.

Authors
  1. Stephan C. Mann M.D.
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  2. Stanley N. Caroff M.D.
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  3. Henry R. Bleier M.D.
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  4. E. Cabrina Campbell M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephan C. Mann M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, West 168th St. Suite 310 710, New York, 10032, USA

    Steven J. Frucht

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Mann, S.C., Caroff, S.N., Bleier, H.R., Campbell, E.C. (2013). Malignant Catatonia. In: Frucht, S. (eds) Movement Disorder Emergencies. Current Clinical Neurology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-835-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-835-5_5

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60761-835-5

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