Catatonia

Catatonia, a state of unresponsiveness characterized by motoric immobility or excessive activity, can be a symptom of various psychiatric disorders. Understanding its causes, manifestations, and treatments is crucial. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry provides comprehensive insights into catatonia, emphasizing evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Our expert editors ensure that content is clinically relevant and actionable, equipping psychiatrists to recognize and address catatonia effectively.

Recently published articles about Catatonia

PCC
Catatonia, Neurocognitive Disorders, and End-of-Life Care
Letter to the Editor

April 28, 2026

The authors present a combined cohort of 4 patients with baseline neurocognitive disorders who developed catatonia shortly before death.
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JCP
Catatonia as a Case Study in Psychiatric Decision-Making
ASCP Corner

April 20, 2026

Historical approaches to clinical decision-making are discussed, followed by a decision-making matrix that incorporates expected risks and treatment benefits into management decisions.
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PCC
Periodic Catatonia in an Adult With Autism
Case Report

February 3, 2026

The authors report a case of periodic catatonia in a 30-year-old man with autism spectrum disorder, with no other identifiable psychiatric or neurological comorbidities, that responded to lithium prophylaxis.
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PCC
Lysing Catatonia to Uncover the Driving Illness
Letter to the Editor

January 29, 2026

The author comments on a recent PCC article and offers an alternative diagnostic perspective.
PCC
Clarifying the Delirium in Bell’s Mania: Reply to Intrator
Letter to the Editor

January 29, 2026

The authors respond to a letter to the editor commenting on their article.
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PCC
LSD-Induced Catatonia in an Adolescent
Case Report

January 13, 2026

A 16-year-old boy experienced catatonia associated with lysergic acid diethylamide use.
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Recent JCP Articles on Catatonia

JCP
Comparison of Catatonia Risk of 30 Antipsychotics
Original Research

December 14, 2022

In this postmarketing study, first-generation antipsychotics were associated with a greater risk of catatonia syndromes compared to second-generation antipsychotics.
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JCP
Prevalent Gaps in Understanding Catatonia
Original Research

August 17, 2021

Underdiagnosis of catatonia may occur because of its heterogeneous phenotypes and a lack of harmony between the DSM-5 and the Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale.
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JCP
Letter to the Editor

February 15, 2007

Recent PCC Articles on Catatonia

PCC
Excited Catatonia in Opioid and Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
Case Report

June 5, 2025

A 37-year-old man developed excited catatonia in the setting of concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine withdrawal, requiring high dosages of benzodiazepines to resolve.
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PCC
What Internists and Neurologists Know and Think About Catatonia
Original Research

April 17, 2025

The authors designed and conducted a survey-based study to raise catatonia awareness among internists and neurologists and to inform future educational campaigns.
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PCC
Catatonia Associated With Post-Acute COVID-19 in a Young Child
Case Report

January 9, 2025

A 4-year-old girl with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder experienced catatonia associated with the post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Featured Catatonia Research

PCC
Aripiprazole-Induced Pathological Gambling
Case Report

May 7, 2026

A 27-year-old man with a history of substance abuse developed a new-onset compulsive gambling pattern within weeks of starting aripiprazole.
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PCC
Strategies for Documenting the Medical Record
Rounds in the General Hospital

May 7, 2026

Documentation should be objective and relevant, especially in psychosocially complex cases—too much information can interfere with establishing the correct diagnosis and treatment plan, while too little increases risk of...
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PCC
Readability of Self-Reported Psychosis Measures
Original Research

May 5, 2026

Most psychosis self-report measures are written above recommended reading levels, reducing accessibility for many patients with cognitive, educational, or symptomatic limitations.
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JCP
Treatment with (Es)ketamine in Catatonia: A Systematic Review of Case Reports
Brief Report

October 13, 2025

Recent evidence suggests that NMDA receptor antagonists, such as ketamine, may offer benefit in catatonia. This systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ketamine and...
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PCC
Imipramine-Induced Catatonia
Case Report

September 18, 2025

The authors present the case of a 15-year-old girl with primary nocturnal enuresis and mild depressive symptoms, who later developed catatonia while on imipramine.
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PCC
Knowledge of ECT for Catatonia
Letter to the Editor

September 11, 2025

The authors comment on a recent study by Kaur et al assessing what internists and neurologists know about catatonia.
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PCC
Knowledge of Catatonia: Reply to Espinoza and Kellner
Letter to the Editor

September 11, 2025

The authors reply to a letter to the editor commenting on their article.
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PCC
Navigating Bell’s Mania and Catatonia
Case Report

September 9, 2025

A healthy 17-year-old boy with no psychiatric family history experienced stress-induced, acute-onset catatonia and Bell's mania.
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PCC
It Takes a Village: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Catatonia in Pregnancy
Case Report

August 26, 2025

Timely treatment of catatonia is crucial and outweighs the risk of exposure to the fetus.
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