Catatonia

Catatonia is a state of general unresponsiveness in a person who is fully conscious. There are two manifestations of catatonia: one presents itself as a stupor while the other is a highly excitable state. Typical symptoms for the lethargic type of catatonia include not speaking, loss of motor function, repeating the words or movements of others, and catalepsy (‘waxy flexibility’, holding the same fixed posture after someone else positions it that way). A person with the excitable form of catatonia may exhibit highly exaggerated and excitable displays of behavior, impulsivity, and aggression.

Catatonic states can be caused by a mental disorder, a medical condition, or unspecified reasons. Catatonic patients are in a stupor and are not affected by their environment in any way.


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