Clozapine for the management of persistent catatonia
42-year-old man with a diagnosis of undifferentiated schizophrenia has been hospitalized several times since age 23 for psychotic relapses, usually in the context of nonadherence to medication. During the last relapse, he was concerned about many plots being planned against him for vague reasons. He...
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Published in | Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience Vol. 41; no. 6; pp. E81 - E82 |
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Main Authors | , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Canada
Joule Inc
01.11.2016
CMA Impact, Inc |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | 42-year-old man with a diagnosis of undifferentiated schizophrenia has been hospitalized several times since age 23 for psychotic relapses, usually in the context of nonadherence to medication. During the last relapse, he was concerned about many plots being planned against him for vague reasons. He experienced catatonic symptoms, including rigid postures, resistance to eating and drinking, immobility, mutism and staring, and displayed periods of unexplained aggressiveness. Physical examination revealed waxy flexibility with no extrapyramidal symptoms or fever. He had a score of 24 on the Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS), which is compatible with a severe form of catatonia. Even in a patient with psychiatric illness, a plethora of medical conditions can be associated with catatonia. The patient was assessed by an internist and a neurologist, and no clinical abnormalities were identified. Laboratory results, including MRIs and electroencephalography (EEG) scans were unremarkable. Alternatively, but not exclusively, the effect of clozapine could derive from its enhanced antipsychotic properties. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Case Study-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-4 content type line 23 ObjectType-Report-1 ObjectType-Article-3 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 |
ISSN: | 1180-4882 1488-2434 |
DOI: | 10.1503/jpn.150352 |