Combined Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Amantadine in Adolescent Catatonia Precipitated by Cyber-Bullying
Abstrakt
Catatonia is a unique motor dysregulation syndrome characterized by identiï¬able signs such as immobility, sometimes alternating with excessive motor activity, that is apparently purposeless and not inï¬uenced by external stimuli, extreme negativism or muteness, peculiarities of voluntary movement, echolalia, or echopraxia (Fink and Taylor 2009). Catatonia accompanies a number of general medical and neurologic conditions (Dhossche and Wachtel 2010), with acute or insidious onset.
In its most severe forms, catatonia may become life threatening, especially when aggravated by autonomic dysfunction and fever. Although previously considered to be rare in children and adolescents (Cohen et al. 1999), recent reports suggest that the prevalence of catatonic symptoms in these age groups is in fact similar to that reported in adults (Ghaziuddin et al. 2012).
Overwhelming stress and trauma may trigger catatonia in children and adolescents (Dhossche et al. 2012). Benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are considered ï¬rst-line treatments (Weiss et al. 2012); however, the literature offers little guidance in cases.