Catatonia Due To Another Medical Condition

Catatonia due to another medical condition occurs when psychomotor disturbances arise secondary to neurological, metabolic, infectious, or systemic illnesses. Pathophysiology is linked to disruptions in cortico-striatal-thalamic circuits, neurotransmitter imbalances, and systemic factors affecting brain function. Clinically, patients demonstrate stupor, rigidity, posturing, or repetitive movements, with onset often abrupt and temporally correlated with the medical illness. Diagnosis requires thorough medical and psychiatric assessment, including laboratory testing and neuroimaging, to establish causality. Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying medical condition alongside benzodiazepine therapy, with electroconvulsive therapy considered in severe cases. Prognosis is contingent on management of the primary illness and prompt recognition of catatonic symptoms.