Catatonic Schizophrenia and the Options for Treatment Return to Psychiatry On-Line Contents Daniel J Smith , North Western Mental Health Service, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Abstract We report a case of catatonic schizophrenia in a young man with particular reference to the options for treatment and the need for effective communication between psychiatrists and neurologists. Careful consideration of the appropriate pharmacotherapy is important because catatonic symptoms can be exacerbated by the use of conventional neuroleptics. Key Points Catatonic symptoms are often overlooked in acute general adult psychiatry wards. Benzodiazepines and ECT are the preferred treatment options for catatonic schizophrenia.
Conventional neuroleptics can exacerbate catatonic symptoms to a fatal degree.
The role of atypical neuroleptics in catatonic schizophrenia requires further evaluation. Catatonic schizophrenia, benzodiazepines, ECT, conventional neuroleptics, atypical neuroleptics. There has been a dramatic decline in the number of patients with catatonic schizophrenia since the 1930's, but the reasons for this are unclear. He gave a two month history of social withdrawal associated with paranoid ideation, delusions of reference and delusions of thought interference. He had been using cannabis regularly in the two years prior to presentation.