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Catalepsy is one of the symptoms associated mainly with mental disorders. It is manifested by a specific muscle stiffness, which makes the patient assume an unnatural body position. This is due to increased muscle tension and impairment or blockage of the patient’s motor activities. It can also be caused by e.g. hypnosis, poisoning or as a complication of some antipsychotic drugs.
Catalepsy – what is it?
Catalepsy (from Latin. catalepsis), otherwise a cataleptic state is a symptom resulting from problems with the nervous system and causes muscle stiffness. People with this symptom may also be less sensitive to touch and have a reduced sensitivity to pain.
Catalepsy generally makes people unresponsive to speech. The condition is similar to catatonia, a condition characterized by strange movements, lack of movement, and / or general unresponsiveness. However, it usually has an underlying physiological cause and does not cause stereotyped movements.
See also: Narcolepsy – types, causes, symptoms, treatment
Catalepsy – types
There are two types of catalepsy:
- waxy (waxy pliability);
- stiff.
Wax catalepsy is when the body freezes in the position assigned by another person. In addition, this type of catalepsy is characterized by plastically increased muscle tension and stiffness, which means that the position in which the patient freezes can be changed. Although his body resists, it is possible to move the patient’s limbs.
In rigid catalepsy, your entire body stiffens and resists moving. This makes it difficult to change the patient’s position.
Of course, in both types of catalepsy, a person cannot make any movements by himself.
Catalepsy – causes
Catalepsy is not a disease but one of the symptoms of poisoning or neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia or affective disease. Withdrawal of certain drugs, especially cocaine, can also cause catalepsy. Catalepsy can also occur during mushroom poisoning.
According to researchers, an attack of catalepsy may occur in advanced dementia, i.e. dementia associated with brain damage, e.g. by degenerative processes.
Antipsychotic medications can also cause catalepsy – catalepsy is one of the many side effects that interfere with the readiness of people with schizophrenia to take medications. Moreover, in the case of inflammation of the tissues of the central nervous system, i.e. bacterial or viral neuroinfection, an attack of catalepsy can also occur. Rarely, extreme emotions can cause catalepsy.
Sometimes, during hypnosis, as a result of acting on the will center by making appropriate suggestions by the therapist, an attack of catalepsy may occur.
See also: Drug addiction
Catalepsy – symptoms
The main and most characteristic symptom of catalepsy is the person freezing up, usually in an unnatural position, and the inability to perform any activities (the person with catalepsy cannot move). In addition, eyelid movement and facial expressions are missing. Moreover, there is a reduction in the heart rate and the number of breaths, which at the same time become shallower. Catalepsy also means that a person does not feel any external stimuli, does not respond to touch, pain or temperature changes.
The body of a person with catalepsy becomes stiff and their limbs and neck are bent. At this point, it is worth mentioning that in the case of catalepsy, we can talk about the occurrence of the so-called airbag symptom. This is manifested in the fact that after removing the pillow from under the head of a catatonic person, their head does not fall on the bed, but remains unnaturally in the air.
When we talk about wax catalepsy, we must remember that after overcoming a slight resistance, you can freely manipulate the patient’s body. After giving it a forced position, the body remains in it until the symptoms subside or another change of position. The body of a person with wax catalepsy becomes plastic, just like wax, and hence the name of this disorder.
In the case of rigid catalepsy, the resistance and muscle tension are constant, and relatively strong, which prevents the body parts of a person with catalepsy from moving and does not allow you to change their position. When an attack of catalepsy occurs, the person with catalepsy remains in that position, even if it is unnatural or uncomfortable.
See also: Disorders of posture, gait and muscle tension; involuntary movements and tremors
Catalepsy – treatment
Treatment usually focuses on alleviating the underlying neurological causes of the disorder. Muscle relaxants may be effective in some people with catalepsy.
When catalepsy is caused by drug withdrawal, patients usually recover after a few days or weeks. However, clinicians must carefully monitor them for signs of life-threatening conditions. When catalepsy is caused by shock, extreme emotions, or trauma, it usually resolves on its own.
In the case of neuroinfection, antibiotic therapy is needed, and in the case of poisoning, fluid therapy is essential, along with substance-specific antidotes (if any).
However, if catalepsy is prolonged, benzodiazepine and antipsychotic drugs in combination with psychotherapy can help to remove the cause.
Katalepsja a catatonia
Some psychiatrists believe that catalepsy should be included in the catatonic syndrome, and more specifically in its hypokinetic form. People suffering from the hypokinetic form of the catatonic syndrome, in addition to the symptoms typical for this type of disease, also show reduced motor activity and slowed motor skills. The severity of these symptoms results in catatonic stupor.
Put simply, it comes to complete immobility, a symptom that occurs with catalepsy. In addition to immobility, disturbed speech (slow and quiet) is also observed in the hypokinetic form of catatonia.
It is worth emphasizing that catalepsy should not be confused with schizophrenia, which often causes symptoms of catatonic syndrome. The echo symptoms that usually occur in people with catalepsy are also typical of the catatonic syndrome. The echo symptoms include:
- echolalia (a disorder characterized by the repetition of words spoken by other people);
- echopraxia (repeating movements made by other people);
- echomimia (pathological imitation of gestures and facial expressions of other people).